Ukraine said its missile forces struck a Russian military airfield in Crimea that has been used for long-range attacks against it, in the latest blow to Putin's troops on the occupied peninsula.
The Ukrainian military's general staff said in a statement that Russia's Saky airfield in western Crimea was the latest target to be struck and that it was assessing the aftermath.
A military spokesperson said: "This is one of the operational airfields that Russia uses to control the airspace, in particular the Black Sea, and for launching airstrikes on Ukrainian territory,"
It comes as Kyiv has ramped up long-range attacks on Crimea in recent months and says the Russian Navy's Black Sea Fleet, which is headquartered in Sevastopol, has been forced to move its combat vessels to safer harbour elsewhere.
Russia's Saky airfield in western Crimea was the latest target
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The statement did not say which weapon was used but that the attack was carried out by Ukraine's missile forces alongside other contingents. There was no immediate comment from Russia's defence ministry or local Moscow-installed officials.
President Volodymyr Zelensky implicitly acknowledged the strike in his nightly video address to the nation, heaping praise on "our soldiers who are striking Russian bases and logistics on occupied territory. To our guys, our soldiers, I thank you for your accuracy".
Earlier today, the Russian-appointed governor of Crimea said fragments from at least four drones downed by Russian air defences struck areas of the port of Sevastopol early on Friday in Russian-occupied Crimea.
Mikhail Razvozhaev, writing on Telegram, said no injuries were recorded. He said fragments of intercepted drones had landed on a street, on a lawn, on a roof and in a courtyard.
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Russian Navy's ships and jet fighters are seen during the joint drills of the Northern and Black Sea fleets (file pic)
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Ukrainian forces have claimed considerable success in their regular attacks on Crimea as part of what they see as a long-range drive to recapture the peninsula. Russia annexed Crimea in 2014 following unrest which forced a Russia-friendly president from office in Kyiv. Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin proclaimed Crimea part of Russia "forever".
Ukraine's military has said its strikes have forced Russia's navy to reposition or withdraw vessels from parts of Crimea.
It comes as Ukraine invoked a law allowing it to skip international debt payments, putting it into what is expected to be a short-lived debt default as it finalises a plan to restructure its nearly $20billion of international bonds.
Late on Wednesday, the Government said it would "temporarily suspend" payments starting August 1, after President Zelenskiy earlier in the day signed the law allowing a suspension until October 1.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy
Reuters
Ukraine, ravaged by war since Russia's February 2022 invasion, has a $34million coupon payment on a 2026-maturing Eurobond due on August 1, with a 10-day grace period, but the Government said it would not pay.
A spokesperson from the Finance Ministry said: "Ukraine will invoke the moratorium law in order to suspend payments, because the process of finalising the restructuring will be completed after August 1."
They added that the move was a "necessary technical solution".