Press
Russia is also bombing Ukraine from Crimea. Kyiv is increasingly firing back. Pictures show the consequences of an air raid on the peninsula.
Dzhankoj – Volodymyr Zelenskyj also wants Crimea back. The Ukrainian president makes this clear at every opportunity. Kremlin boss Vladimir Putin’s troops would not only have to release the Kherson, Donetsk, Luhansk and Zaporizhzhia territories that were annexed in violation of international law during the Ukraine war, but also the symbolic peninsula that separates the Black Sea from the Sea of Azov. Moscow’s rulers had already incorporated this more than ten years ago, which led to Russia’s exclusion from the then G8.
Ukraine wants Crimea back: Russia is carrying out air strikes from the peninsula and is also securing supplies here
Crimea is of particular importance to the two heads of state not only because of its past, but also because of its strategically important location during the war. Through them, Moscow is supposed to regularly supply the invasion troops with supplies, which keeps the Ukrainian armed forces at the front constantly busy.
In addition, Russia fires missiles and drones at the invaded neighboring country from the almost 27,000 square meter peninsula. Not to be forgotten: the home port and main base of the Black Sea Fleet is in Sevastopol in the very southwest.
Ukraine attacks Russia in Crimea: US ATACMS missiles fired at peninsula
Accordingly, the military leadership in Kiev has repeatedly targeted Crimea in attacks by air or water. Or the Kerch Bridge, which leads from the Russian mainland to the peninsula and has often taken hits. Moscow is currently apparently fearing a new attack, according to the news agency Reuters warned of a “devastating retaliation” on his part in response.
Most recently, Ukraine apparently targeted Russian military bases in Crimea several times, allegedly by the USA newly delivered ATACMS missiles are used have come. On April 30, the military airfield in Dzhankoi, northeast of the peninsula, also came under fire.
Satellite images of this air raid were distributed by the investigative project “Schemes”. Radio Svobodawhich is a media company founded and financed by the USA Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty heard. The clip is only a few seconds long.
Video: Poland again advertises Taurus delivery to Ukraine
Satellite images of air raid on Crimea: S-300/S-400 takes hits
Kyrylo Ovsianyi is one of the “Schemes” reporters and focuses on the areas of corruption and war crimes. He explains on Twitterthat the images come from a satellite of the non-profit company Planet. Even if lay eyes cannot decipher much, the images are intended to show the damage to military equipment. Most likely a Russian S-300/S-400 air defense system was hit.
The sequences from April 27th are intended to show the anti-aircraft system intact. Looking at the following images, it can be seen that one S-300/S-400 took a hit, the others were apparently detached.
Ovsianyi further writes that, according to Ukrainian aviation expert Anatoly Khrapchinsky, the Dzhankoy airfield is one of the largest bases for Russian helicopters and is used as a military transport hub for the transport of equipment, ammunition and personnel.
Ukraine attacks Dzhankoi airfield: question of exact target remains open
Ovsianyi’s colleague Mark Krutov also points to the now from Elon Musk offered social media network that the S-300/S-400 had to take a heavy hit, and he also mentioned several craters, smoke rising from one of them. The pictures of the damage are from May 1st. Further images from May 2nd did not show any anti-aircraft systems, although the damage had largely been repaired.
When comparing before and after, Krutov also noticed that the Russians had dug new positions and some vehicles had been removed. Following a tip from another user who says he follows the use and destruction of weapon systems in the combat zone in Ukraine, Krutov notes that a Nebo-M radar system could also have been the target of the air strike, but that it remained at its location be. However, two other radar devices were removed, although it is unclear whether they were damaged.
In any case, even according to the satellite images, many unanswered questions remain. And some are new additions. (mg)