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It comes as Ukrainian defence forces ramp up their attacks on Russian-occupied territory.<\/p>\n
On Saturday morning, Ukraine launched another missile attack on Sevastopol on the occupied Crimean Peninsula, a Russian-installed official said, a day after an attack on the headquarters of Russia\u2019s Black Sea Fleet that left a serviceman missing and the main building smouldering.<\/p>\n
Sevastopol was put under an air raid alert for about an hour after debris from intercepted missiles fell near a pier, Gov. Mikhail Razvozhayev wrote on the messaging app Telegram.<\/p>\n
He later added that another missile fragment fell in a park in northern Sevastopol, parts of which had to be cordoned off. Ferry traffic in the area was also halted and later resumed.<\/p>\n
Don’t miss… <\/strong> We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More info<\/p>\n Loud blasts were also heard near Vilne in northern Crimea, followed by rising clouds of smoke, according to a pro-Ukraine<\/p>\n Telegram news channel that reports on developments on the peninsula.<\/p>\n Crimea, illegally annexed by Russia in 2014, has been a frequent target for Ukrainian forces since Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.<\/p>\n Ukraine\u2019s intelligence chief, Kyrylo Budanov, told Voice of America on Saturday that at least nine people were killed and 16 others wounded as a result of Kyiv\u2019s attack on the Black Sea Fleet on Friday.<\/p>\n He claimed that Alexander Romanchuk, a Russian general commanding forces along the key southeastern front line, was \u201cin a very serious condition\u201d following the attack.<\/p>\n Budanov\u2019s claim couldn\u2019t be independently verified, and he didn\u2019t comment on whether Western-made missiles were used in Friday\u2019s attack. The Russian Defense Ministry initially said that the strike killed one service member at the Black Sea Fleet headquarters, but later issued a statement that he was missing.<\/p>\n Ukraine\u2019s military also offered more details about Friday\u2019s attack. It said the air force conducted 12 strikes on the Black Sea Fleet headquarters, targeting areas where personnel, military equipment and weapons were concentrated. It said that two anti-aircraft missile systems and four Russian artillery units were hit.<\/p>\n Crimea has served as the key hub supporting Russia\u2019s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Sevastopol, the main base of Russia\u2019s Black Sea Fleet since the 19th century, has had particular importance for navy operations since the start of the war.<\/p>\n
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