Vladimir Putin has called Crimea a "sacred place" and a "holy land".[5][6] Deputy Chairman of the Security Council of Russia Dmitry Medvedev stated in July 2022 that the consequence of an attack on Crimea will be that, "the Day of Judgment will come for all of them there at once. Very fast and heavy. It will be very difficult to hide".[7]
Timeline
2022
July
On the morning of 31 July, a drone with an explosive device attacked the headquarters of the Black Sea Fleet in Sevastopol. 6 people were injured. Due to the attack on the city, all festivities on the occasion of Navy Day were cancelled.[8] Ukrainian officials denied involvement in the attack, but pointed out the weakness of Russia's air defense system in Crimea.[9]
On 9 August, a series of large explosions occurred at the Saky airbase in the city of Novofedorivka, Crimea. Reportedly, one person was killed[10][11][12] and 13 were injured.[13] 7 planes were destroyed and 3 were damaged, according to satellite imagery.[14] The military base had been seized by Russian forces during the 2014 annexation of Crimea. At first Ukraine denied any responsibility with presidential aide, Mykhailo Podolyak saying "Of course not. What do we have to do with this?" Later, the commander of Ukrainian forces, Valeriy Zaluzhnyi claimed that it had been a Ukrainian rocket attack.[15]
On 16–17 August, the Armed Forces of Ukraine allegedly carried out a series of acts of sabotage in the Dzhankoi district at an ammunition depot near the village of Majskoye and at an electricity substation in Dzhankoi itself.[16] Two people were injured.[17] According to the mayor of Melitopol, Ivan Fedorov, following the explosions, the occupying authorities of Crimea began an evacuation.[18] with around 2,000 people being reportedly evacuated.[17]Sergey Aksyonov, one of the heads of the Russian authorities in crimea, announced the containment of a zone with a radius of 5km from the epicenter of the explosion and the evacuation of the population from this zone.[17]
On the morning of 21 August, explosions were heard in Sevastopol, Crimean authorities claimed that it was the work of air defense.[19] On the next day, explosions rang out again in the city, the occupation authorities announced that a drone had been shot down.[20] On 23 August, several explosions were heard, the anti-aircraft missile system also went off near the city, the governor of Sevastopol, Mikhail Razvozhayev, said that a drone was shot down over the sea.[21] On 26 August, the anti-aircraft defense system was activated in the village Novoozerne near Yevpatoria.[22]
September
On 7 September, several explosions rang out in Yevpatoria. The occupation authorities of the Russian Federation in the region announced the activation of air defense and the destruction of several drones.[23]
On 21 September, a maritime drone was discovered on Soldatsky Beach in Kozacha Bay, Sevastopol. It was examined, then towed out to sea and blown up.[24][25]
On 26 September, a series of explosions occurred in Yalta, Gurzuf and Simferopol, anti-air systems allegedly went off during the explosions.[26]
On 1 October, there were explosions at the Belbek military airport near Sevastopol, the air defense system allegedly shot down a drone in the area.[27] On 8 October at around 6:00am, an explosion occurred on the Crimean bridge. It caused two lanes of the roadway to collapse and tanks on a train on the rail bridge to catch fire.[28] Later in the day a single lane for motor vehicles was opened with alternating directions and a ferry provided for heavy goods vehicles. Rail traffic also recommenced.[29] The attack on the bridge was claimed by Putin to be the reason for the October 2022 missile strikes on Ukraine. On 27 October, a power plant in Balaklava, Sevastopol region, was reportedly attacked, causing minor damage, no casualties were reported.[30]
On 29 October the Sevastopol Naval Base, occupied by Russia, was attacked by unmanned surface vehicles and aerial drones. According to the Russian TASS, at 4:20 am on 29 October, a strong explosion sounded, after which several more "claps" were heard. Videos began to circulate in Telegram channels showing black smoke over Sevastopol and explosions could be heard.[31] Nine UAVs and seven USVs took part in the attack, according to Russian officials.[32]GeoConfirmed analysts believe that between six and eight drones participated in the attack on Russian ships and that they hit at least three ships; two naval drones were most likely destroyed.[33] One of the ships that appeared to be damaged in videos was the Admiral Makarov, Russia's Black Sea Fleet new flagship, following the sinking of the Moskva.[34][35][36]
Following the attacks the Russian authorities shut down broadcast from the city's surveillance cameras, saying that they "give the enemy an opportunity to detect the city's defense systems",[37] and prohibited entry of boats into the Sevastopol Bay.[32] Russia accused Ukraine and the United Kingdom of being involved in the preparation of the attacks, with Russian representatives saying that the attack was "carried out under the leadership of British specialists who are in the city of Ochakiv (Mykolaiv region) of Ukraine", Russian authorities also claimed that the same unit of "British specialists" was involved in the "terrorist act in the Baltic Sea", when the gas pipelines "Nord Stream" and "Nord Stream - 2" were blown up.[38] The UK Ministry of Defence responded, saying Russia was "peddling lies on an epic scale".[39] After the attack, Russia suspended its participation in the Black Sea Grain Initiative for four days.[30] Grain ships continued to sail from Ukraine despite the Russian announcement.[40] Before these events, Ukraine had warned about possible Russian plans to withdraw from the agreement.[41]
November
On 22 November, several explosions were reported on Sevastopol, witnesses reported that anti-air systems activated, maritime traffic had to be stopped as a result. local officials later reported that 2 drones had been destroyed during the alleged attack, and that another attack had been repelled over the Black Sea, no casualties or significant damage were reported.[42]
December
On 10 December, explosions were reported in Sevastopol, and anti-air systems reportedly activated.[43] On 30 December, explosions were reported yet again in Sevastopol, anti air systems and Russian planes reportedly intercepted a rocket over the sea.[44]
2023
January
On 2 January, explosions were reported in Sevastopol, anti-air systems activated and two drone were reportedly destroyed over the sea, according to Russian authorities.[45] On 3 January, explosions were reported again in Dzhankoi, anti-air systems reportedly activated, witnesses also reported the destruction of some type of "target".[46] On 15 January, more explosions were reported in Sevastopol, anti-air systems activated and allegedly destroyed one drone above the Sevastopol Bay, according to local authorities.[47]
February
On 3 February 2023, the United States government announced an aid package for Ukraine that would include the Ground Launched Small Diameter Bomb (GLSDB), which can be launched out of existing Ukraine-operated HIMARS or MLRS launchers (or out of its own launcher) to hit Russian targets that had been moved out of GMLRS range. The GLSDB almost doubles the range that Ukraine could previously target with these launchers (150 km (93 mi) vs 85 km (53 mi) with GMLRS).[48] This "will put all of Russia's supply lines in the east of [Ukraine] within reach, as well as part of Russian-occupied Crimea", according to Reuters.[49] "Russia is using Crimea as a big military base from which it sends reinforcements for its troops on the southern front," said Ukrainian military analyst Oleksandr Musiyenko. "If we had a 150km (munition), we could reach that and disrupt the logistical connection with Crimea."[49] It has been speculated that the GLSDB might allow Ukraine to target the Dzhankoi airfield in northern Crimea,[50] described as the logistics hub of the Russian army.[51]Dzhankoi is a critical rail and road hub in the supply network Russia has been using in its attack on Ukraine[52] and, along with its surrounding areas, has been described as the largest Russian military base in Crimea.[53] Ukraine holds the territory across the Dnieper River from Nova Kakhovka[54] (close to where the North Crimean Canal begins).[55] The distance between Nova Kakhovka and Dzhankoi is 141km (88mi).[56] It has also been estimated that if Ukraine were able to advance to Prymorsk on their southern coast, this would put the Crimean Bridge over the Kerch Strait within range of the GLSDB.[57] This bridge constitutes the main supply route for Russian military bases in Crimea and for Russian forces in southern Ukraine.[58][52]
March
Explosions were heard in the occupied Simferopol district on 4 March, a drone was reportedly downed over the village of Hvardiiske, there was no official confirmation of the reports by local authorities.[59]
Ukraine's Ministry of Defense said on 20 March that that Russian "Kalibr-KN" cruise missiles being transported by train in Dzhankoi were destroyed in a missile strike in Russian-occupied Crimea, the attack also severely damaged the railway system in the region.[60] The Russian-installed head of Crimea, Sergei Aksyonov, confirmed there was a strike and the region's air defense system was activated.[61][62] Oleg Kryuchkov, an adviser to Aksyonov, claimed that the drone attack was aimed at civilian targets.[63] Local authorities declared a state of emergency after the attack. [64]
On 22 March, explosions were reported overnight in Sevastopol Bay, electricity allegedly went down as a result of these explosions, civilians reported hearing several "shots" and explosions over the bay during the night and morning, it was alleged that these loud sounds were the result of a drone attack, local telegram channels reported possible attack by UAVs and USVs, with one UAV allegedly downed; maritime traffic was interrupted after the alleged attack.[65]
April
Satellite images taken on 25 April 2023 of a Russian military base in Medvedivka, Dzhankoi District, showed that armoured vehicles and artillery present in this area in October 2022 and in January 2023 were no longer present. Experts have surmised that this may be related to defensive operations ahead of an expected Ukrainian counteroffensive.[66][67]
Ukrainian forces likely attacked an oil storage facility in Kozacha Bay, Sevastopol on 29 April.[68] The resulting fire was said by occupation governor of Sevastopol Mikhail Razvozhaev to have extended over 1,000 square meters.[68] Footage showed a large fire at the storage facility.[69][70] The Ukraine military warned that this was a prelude to a much-anticipated spring offensive.[71]
May
On 11 May 2023 it was announced that the U.K. was sending "a number" of Storm Shadow air-launched cruise missiles to Ukraine. This weapon has an official range "exceeding" 250km (160mi).[72][73] While this falls short of the 300km (190mi) range of the U.S. made ATACMS,[74] it would allow a Storm Shadow missile fired by Ukraine from an aircraft flying above the city of Kherson to reach Russia's Sevastopol Naval Base in southern Crimea, home of Russia's Black Sea Fleet[75] (distance 245km (152mi)).[76]
June
On 22 June 2023, a Ukrainian missile damaged the Chonhar bridge, an important road bridge linking Crimea to the Ukrainian mainland.[77]
On 17 July 2023, the Crimean Bridge linking Crimea with mainland Russia was again attacked, this time by two exploding drone boats. At least one of the road sections collapsed. Two people were reportedly killed.[78] Ukraine later acknowledged it carried out the attack.[79]
Two days later, there was a fire and numerous explosions at a Russian ammunition depot near Staryi Krym, forcing the evacuation of four villages and the closure of the nearby Tavrida Highway. There were unconfirmed reports that it was caused by Ukrainian strikes.[80] On 22 July, another Russian ammunition depot was struck by drones in Krasnohvardiiske Raion, forcing the evacuation of a five-kilometer radius.[81]
A Ukrainian exploding drone boat severely damaged the Russian tanker Sig in the Kerch Strait on 5 August.[83]On 5 August 2023 the tanker was reported to have been the target of a naval drone attack by Ukrainian forces in the Black Sea17 kilometres (11mi) south of the Crimean Bridge which damaged the engine room on the starboard side.
On 23 August, the Ukrainian military destroyed a Russian S-400 missile system on Cape Tarkhankut, Crimea. A modified R-360 Neptune missile was used in the strike.[84] It is reported that several Russian military personnel were killed.[85]
On 24 August, Ukraine's Independence Day, the HUR announced that Air Force and Navy intelligence were involved in a special operation near the towns of Mayak and Olenivka on the Tarkhankut Peninsula, which saw a seaborne landing and airborne deployment of Ukrainian personnel on Crimea. The HUR announced that all objectives of the operation were completed, Russian forces suffered casualties, and that the Ukrainian state flag was once again flown over the Crimean peninsula.[86][87][88]
The following day, the Ukrainian military, together with the SBU, launched a drone strike on the 126th Coastal Defence Brigade of the Russian Black Sea Fleet in Perevalne, reportedly inflicting "dozens" of casualties.[89][90]
September
Ukrainian military intelligence said on 11 September that Ukrainian special forces had captured several oil and gas drilling platforms off the western Crimean coast, that had been occupied and fortified by Russia since 2015. Among the facilities retaken were the Boyko Towers and the 'Tavryda' and 'Syvash' mobile rigs. According to Ukrainian sources, a Russian Su-30 fighter jet tried to sink the Ukrainian assault boats, but was struck by a Ukrainian MANPAD, forcing it to withdraw. Ukrainian forces also seized ammunition and a radar system from the platforms.[91]
On 13 September a Ukrainian strike on Russia's Sevastopol Naval Base damaged two Russian warships. According to a number of sources, the strike was carried out using Storm Shadow cruise missiles,[92][93][94] which are designed to penetrate deeply into their targets and inflict maximum damage in a two-phase process.[95] Experts have concluded from photographs that the Minsk, a large Ropucha-class landing ship, was damaged beyond repair.[96][97] Also damaged was the Rostov-on-Don, a $300M Kilo-class submarine.[98]
Aftermath of Ukrainian missile strike on the Black Sea Fleet headquarters
On 22 September, Ukraine launched a missile strike on the headquarters of the Russian Black Sea Fleet at Sevastopol Naval Base.[99] The building was reportedly struck by Storm Shadow cruise missiles. Ukraine's intelligence agencies reported that the strike, which it codenamed "Operation Crab Trap", killed 34 officers and wounded at least 100 other Russian servicemen.[100][101][102][103] Three days later, Russian authorities announced that they would demolish the damaged headquarters of the Black Sea Fleet.[104]
On 30 October, Ukraine claimed to have destroyed Russian air defense systems in a missile attack on Crimea. Russian milbloggers said that two missiles fell near Olenivka.[106] The attack was believed to have targeted an S-300 missile battery, and injured about 17 Russian soldiers.[107]
November
On 4 November, Ukraine launched a missile strike on the Zalyv Shipbuilding yard in Kerch, Crimea, hitting a dry dock and reportedly damaging the Russian cruise missile carrier Askold.[108]
Russia claimed to have shot down 35 Ukrainian drones over Crimea on 5 December.[110] Ukrainian media reported that an oil terminal in Feodosia, a Nebo-M radar system near Baherove, as well as a Russian military helicopter yard, a radar complex, and an anti-aircraft missile control system were damaged in the attacks.[111]
On 29 December, a Russian Tarantul-class corvette was struck by a Ukrainian drone whilst in harbour at Sevastopol. On 20 January 2024, satellite images confirmed its sinking.[112]
2024
January
On 4 January 2024, Ukraine said it had hit two Russian military targets in Crimea.[113]
On 6 January, the Ukrainian Air Force said it had destroyed a Russian command center at Saky airbase.[114]
On 31 January 31 the Ukrainian Air Force said it launched a missile strike on Belbek airbase, damaging three Russian military aircraft.[115][116]
On 5 March, the Russian patrol ship Sergey Kotov, along with an on-board helicopter, was sunk by Ukrainian naval drones near the Kerch Strait. The HUR said that seven Russian crewmen were killed.[119] The Crimean bridge was closed to traffic due to Ukrainian air drones and sea drones attacking Kerch.[120]
The Ukrainian military launched a "massive" missile attack on Sevastopol Naval Base on 23 March.[121] A Black Sea Fleet communications center was struck by three Storm Shadow missiles.[122] Ukraine's military said the strikes damaged three Russian landing ships: the Yamal, the Azov, and the Konstantin Olshansky. The spy ship Ivan Khurs was also reportedly damaged.[123]
The Black Sea Fleet is the fleet of the Russian Navy in the Black Sea, the Sea of Azov and the Mediterranean Sea. The Black Sea Fleet, along with other Russian ground and air forces on the Crimean Peninsula, are subordinate to the Southern Military District of the Russian Armed Forces. The fleet traces its history to its founding by Prince Potemkin on 13 May 1783 as part of the Imperial Russian Navy. The Russian SFSR inherited the fleet in 1918; with the founding of the Soviet Union in 1922, it became part of the Soviet Navy. Following the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, the Black Sea Fleet was partitioned between the Russian Federation and Ukraine in 1997, with Russia receiving title to 82% of the vessels.
The Ropucha class, Soviet designation Project 775, is a class of landing ship built in Poland for the Soviet Navy. The ships were built in the Stocznia Północna shipyards in Gdańsk, Poland. They were designed for beach landings, and can carry 450 tons of cargo. The ships have both bow and stern doors for loading and unloading vehicles, and the 630 square metres (6,800 sq ft) of vehicle deck stretch the length of the hull. Up to 25 armored personnel carriers can be embarked.
Tsezar Kunikov (BDK-64), sometimes anglicised as Caesar Kunikov, is a Project 775, large landing ship of the Russian Navy. The ship was built in Poland, launched in 1986 and named after Soviet Naval Infantry officer Tsezar Kunikov. As part of the Russian Black Sea Fleet, it took part in the KFOR mission, the Russo-Georgian War, the Syrian Civil War, and the Russo-Ukrainian War.
Project 22160 is a series of large patrol ships being constructed for the Russian Navy. The vessels are primarily intended for duties such as patrol, monitoring and protection in open and closed seas. The first ship was laid down in February 2014 and joined the Russian Navy in December 2018. By January 2018, six ships were under construction. Between 2017 and 2022, four ships had been launched.
Admiral Makarov is an Admiral Grigorovich-class frigate of the Russian Navy, part of the Black Sea Fleet based at Sevastopol. She was laid down at the Yantar Shipyard in February 2012 and commissioned on 25 December 2017. She is the most recently built of her class, and the third of six ships that had been planned in the class as of November 2014.
Missile attacks on Zhytomyr began on 24 February 2022 as part of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Dzhankoi is a military air base near Dzhankoi, Crimea. It is currently operated by the Russian Aerospace Forces. Prior to the Russian occupation of Crimea in 2014, Dzhankoi was Ukrainian, and before 1992 Soviet, military airfield, and then a civilian airport.
There have been attacks in mainland Russia as a result of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which began on 24 February 2022. The main targets have been the military, the arms industry and the oil industry. Many of the attacks have been drone strikes, firebombing, and rail sabotage. The Ukrainian intelligence services have acknowledged carrying out some of these attacks. Others have been carried out by anti-war activists in Russia. There has also been cross-border shelling, missile strikes and ground raids from Ukraine, mainly in the Belgorod, Kursk and Bryansk oblasts. Several times, Russian anti-Kremlin paramilitaries have launched incursions from Ukraine into Russia, captured border villages and battled the Russian military. While Ukraine has supported these ground incursions, it has denied direct involvement.
During the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Russia occupied vast portions of the territory of Ukraine, having already occupied parts of the Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts as well as the entire Autonomous Republic of Crimea since the beginning of the Russia-Ukraine war in 2014. Partisan groups began to be organized in mid-2022. These groups have been involved in intelligence-gathering, sabotage, and assassinations. Much of their activity has taken place in the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions.
Several large explosions occurred at the Saky airbase in the town of Novofedorivka, Crimea, on 9 August 2022, during the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The military base was seized by Russian forces during the 2014 annexation of Crimea, part of the Russo-Ukrainian War. The explosions destroyed a number of Russian warplanes and caused substantial other damage. Ukrainian authorities tacitly took responsibility at first, until four weeks after the event, when Valerii Zaluzhnyi, Ukraine's military commander, explicitly said that it had been a Ukrainian missile strike.
On 27 February 2014, unmarked Russian soldiers were deployed to the Crimean Peninsula in order to wrest control of it from Ukraine, triggering the Russo-Ukrainian War. This military occupation, which the Ukrainian government considers to have begun on 20 February, laid the foundation for the Russian annexation of Crimea on 18 March 2014. Under Russia, the Ukrainian Autonomous Republic of Crimea was replaced by the Republic of Crimea, though the legitimacy of the latter is scarcely recognized internationally.
During the autumn and winter of 2022–2023, Russia launched waves of missile and drone strikes against energy in Ukraine as part of its invasion. The strikes targeted civilian areas beyond the battlefield, particularly critical power infrastructure, which is considered a war crime. By the end of 2023, Russian forces launched about 7,400 missiles and 3,900 Shahed drone strikes against Ukraine according to Ukrainian military officials.
Russian occupiers carried out a series of artillery fire and air raids in the city of Kryvyi Rih during the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022, the Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia and the surrounding region became the target of repeated Russian shelling and bombing as part of the southern Ukraine offensive from 27 February 2022 onwards. Thirty to forty percent of the infrastructure in the city has been destroyed.
Aerial warfare in the Russian invasion of Ukraine began at dawn of 24 February 2022, with infantry divisions and armored and air support in Eastern Ukraine, and dozens of missile attacks across Ukraine. The first fighting took place in Luhansk Oblast near the village of Milove on the border with Russia at 3:40 am Kyiv time. The main infantry and tank attacks were launched in four spearhead incursions, creating a northern front launched towards Kyiv, a southern front originating in Crimea, a south-eastern front launched at the cities of Luhansk and Donbas, and an eastern front. Dozens of missile strikes across Ukraine also reached as far west as Lviv. Drones have also been a critical part of the invasion, particularly in regards to combined arms warfare. Drones have additionally been employed by Russia in striking Ukrainian critical infrastructure, and have been used by Ukraine to strike military infrastructure in Russian territory.
The 2022 Rivne missile strikes were carried out by Russian troops on the city of Rivne and the Rivne Oblast during the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.
On 29 October 2022, there was a large-scale attack by aerial drones and drone boats on the Black Sea Fleet in Sevastopol during the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
On 22 September 2023, several Ukrainian Storm Shadow/SCALP cruise missiles penetrated Russian air defenses and struck the headquarters of the Black Sea Fleet in occupied Sevastopol, Crimea. The strike was part of the war resulting from the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine, and was referred to as Operation Crab Trap by Lieutenant General Kyrylo Budanov, the head of the Main Directorate of Intelligence (HUR).
This timeline of the Russian invasion of Ukraine covers the period from 1 September to 30 November 2023 during the 2023 Ukrainian counteroffensive.
↑ Engineering Director & Chief Engineer, Paul E. Turner. "Precision Fires Rocket and Missile Systems"(PDF). US Army Precision Fires Rocket & Missile Systems Project Office. Retrieved 23 June 2022.
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