The headquarters of the Russian Navy's Black Sea Fleet in Sevastopol was hit by Ukrainian missiles Saturday (September 23), the latest this week after earlier missile strikes in the Crimean peninsula. It was reported that the main building of the outpost was caught on fire, and a serviceman went missing.
According to the Russian governor of Crimea, Mikhail Razvozhayev, Russian authorities in Sevastopol issued an air raid alert after debris from intercepted missiles fell near a pier. He later added through Telegram that another missile fragment fell in a park in the northern part of the port city and that ferry traffic was halted briefly before resuming.
On the other hand, a pro-Ukraine Telegram channel reported that loud blasts were also heard near the northern Crimean village of Vilne.
Crimea is located near the center of the Black Sea, and Sevastopol offers a commanding presence on what goes in and out of the Bosphorus, which connects the Black Sea to the Mediterranean, CBS reported.
Two for Two
Ukrainian military defense chief Gen. Kyrylo Budanov told Voice of America Saturday that the first of the twin strikes on the Russian Black Sea Fleet the day prior (Friday, September 22) killed at least nine people and wounded 16 more. Included in the casualties, Budanov added, was Russian general Alexander Romanchuk, who was "in a very serious condition."
However, Budanov's claims could not be independently verified. He did not confirm nor deny whether Western-made missiles were used in Friday's attack.
More Missiles from Uncle Sam
In their second meeting in the White House this year, US President Joe Biden promised Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky the US would send more military supplies and aid in the form of long-range Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS), which could be launched out of a HIMARS mobile rocket launcher, which Kyiv already has in its arsenal. The missiles would allow Ukrainian troops to strike Russian supply lines and command posts behind enemy front lines.
However, several US officials criticized Washington's latest promise to Ukraine out of concern that drawing from current stockpiles could undermine US military readiness and the possibility of Moscow viewing the move as escalatory.
Ahead of the meeting, Republican lawmakers signed a letter to the White House renewing their opposition to the US government's continued support for Ukraine.
