Pooja Mahabadi, Pune
Ukraine’s Navy and Military intelligence conducted a special overnight operation in Russian-occupied Crimea.
The Defence Ministry’s Main Directorate of Intelligence (HUR) posted a brief video alongside a statement that showed a motorboat moving through water at night near a coastline. HUR said the landing point was on the western tip of Crimea, near the settlements of Olenivka and Mayak.
The Defense Ministry also added that all goals were achieved without any harm or casualties inflicted. The statement also read that during the firefight between Olenvika and Mayak, i.e., Western Crimea “the enemy suffered losses”.
“Special units on watercraft landed on the shore in the area of the Olenivka and Mayak settlements,” HUR said in a statement. It said “all goals” had been achieved and casualties inflicted on the enemy, but the goals were not explicitly identified.
The statement read, “The Ukrainian State Flag flew again in Ukrainian Crimea,” but no further details were provided. The incident also coincided with Ukrainian Independence Day, on August 24, 2023.
According to Ukraine’s Suspilne television channel, the clash comprised warplanes and navy ships. Fighting in that area was also shared on a Russian Telegram channel.
The Telegram made a post saying that the operation on Thursday was claimed by Ukraine’s Defense Ministry’s primary intelligence department and that the Ukrainian Navy was claimed to have supplied assistance.
However, there is no comment on this from the Russian side.
Also, a day before this distinctive operation unfolded, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy vowed an end to Russia’s annexation of Crimea, despite Russia’s refusal to leave the region. This same day, a Russian military pilot was lured to land his MI-8 helicopter at a Ukrainian field.
He also made a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, urging his countrymen to support the country’s independence.