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Ukrainian forces carried out a "special operation" on the occupied Crimean peninsula, Ukraine's military intelligence service said on Thursday, as Kyiv marks the country's independence from Moscow's control more than three decades ago.
Ukrainian military intelligence (GUR) forces landed on the shores of the Russian-annexed territory overnight on Thursday, the GUR said in a statement. GUR soldiers and Ukrainian navy forces approached the settlements of Olenivka and Mayak in western Crimea on waterborne vessels, the agency added.
Russia annexed Crimea in 2014, and has controlled the territory south of mainland Ukraine ever since. Ukraine has repeatedly vowed to reclaim the peninsula, which has come under increasing attacks since Kyiv started its summer counteroffensive in the east and south of the country in early June.
The GUR posted footage on social media it said was filmed in Crimea during the operation. The dimly lit night-time footage shows a Ukrainian soldier hanging the country's blue and yellow flag on the side of an unknown structure. Although it is impossible to verify the location and time when the clip was filmed, "the significant aspect is that Ukraine is apparently able to land troops in Crimea despite Russia's supposed naval control of the area," according to military expert, David Hambling.
The soldiers "engaged in combat" with Russian soldiers, Kyiv said. A spokesperson for the GUR told Ukrainian media the "special operation" had damaged four high-speed Russian boats and that at least 30 Russian soldiers had been killed. There were no Ukrainian casualties, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said, adding it was "still too early to talk about the liberation of Crimea."
Ukraine did not elaborate on its specific goals for its overnight mission.
"It might have been intelligence gathering for a long-range strike, sabotage or preparation for a larger raid," Hambling told Newsweek.
But whatever the objective, "having groups of enemy soldiers in a supposedly secure rear area looks like a serious security lapse," he added.
In operational reports on Thursday, Russia's Defense Ministry made no mention of the raid but said Moscow's troops had launched long-range sea- and ground-based strikes against Ukrainian command centers overnight.
Influential Russian military blogger, Rybar, said between high-speed Ukrainian boats landed on Cape Tarkhankut and fired a grenade launcher before returning to their base.
The topography of the cape makes it ideal for the approach of small boats, added the account, which is believed to be run by a former Russian Ministry of Defense translator.
Russian outlet SHOT, which is allegedly linked to Russia's security service, said that Russian forces had destroyed four Ukrainian vessels in Cape Tarkhankut in the early hours of Thursday morning.
The previous day, GUR head Major General Kyrylo Budanov said Ukraine had "the ability to strike any part" of Russian-controlled Crimea.
On Wednesday, the GUR said it had destroyed a Russian S-400 air defense system at Cape Tarkhankut, killing a number of Russian soldiers.
"Crimea will be de-occupied like all other parts of Ukraine that are unfortunately still under the occupier," Zelensky said in an address on Wednesday.
About the writer
Ellie Cook is a Newsweek security and defense reporter based in London, U.K. Her work focuses largely on the Russia-Ukraine ... Read more