UKRainian Strike on Crimea Prompts Evacuations, Targets RUssian Logistics; UKR Confirms Successful Destruction of RU Oil Depot and Warehouses in Occupied Crimea; Military Initiative on the Front Shifts in Ukraine’s Favor; Ru Closes Prized Bridge After UKR Drone Strike on Ammo Depot in Crimea, LIVE UPDATES and MORE

By admin On Jul 25, 2023

WSJ: Ukrainian Strike on Crimea Prompts Evacuations, Targets Russian Logistics:

Attack on ammunition depot on occupied peninsula is part of strategy of weakening Russia’s ability to defend against Ukraine’s offensive

Ukraine launched a fresh attack on the Russian-occupied peninsula of Crimea, striking an ammunition depot, as Kyiv continues efforts to disrupt Russia’s ability to defend against Ukraine’s offensive in the east and south.

Sergei Aksyonov, the Russian-installed head of Crimea, which Russia annexed from Ukraine in 2014, said that there were multiple detonations at the facility in the central Krasnogvardeysky district on Saturday morning.

He said there was no damage or civilian casualties, but residents within a three-mile radius of the depot would be evacuated and housed in temporary accommodation while emergency services work to deal with the consequences of the attack. Rail traffic in the peninsula had also been suspended to “minimize risks,” Aksyonov said. The Russian military has relied heavily on rail to move its men and munitions toward the front.

The Ukrainian armed forces confirmed they had struck an oil depot and a storage facility for the Russian military in Krasnogvardeysky, sharing footage showing a vast plume of smoke rising above the area. They didn’t say what weapons were used in the strikes.

Crimea has been the target of regular Ukrainian attacks in recent weeks as Kyiv steps up pressure on Russian occupying forces and continues its grinding offensive to retake land. Disrupting routes that are crucial for Russia to keep soldiers on the front lines equipped is part of a Ukrainian strategy of attrition accompanying a parallel push by ground forces to break through robust Russian defenses in the Zaporizhzhia and Donetsk regions. —>READ MORE HERE

Ukraine confirms successful destruction of Russian oil depot and warehouses in occupied Crimea:

The Ukrainian Armed Forces have officially confirmed the successful destruction of an oil depot and warehouses belonging to the Russian military in the occupied village of Oktiabrske, Krasnohvardiiske District, in Russia-occupied Crimea, the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) said on Telegram on July 22.

It also shared a video showcasing the destruction of the warehouses and the oil depot to provide evidence of the operation.

News site News of Donbas suggested that one of the Armed Forces’ targets was a disused airfield near Oktiabrske, where the Russian occupation forces had likely established a warehouse for equipment and ammunition. The other target appears to have been the nearby oil depot, situated alongside the railway tracks.

On Saturday, July 22, a series of explosions were heard in Crimea, leading to a fire near the village of Oktiabrske, situated approximately 43 km from Simferopol. Crimea’s occupation authorities attributed this incident to a drone attack.