After one of its ships was destroyed by drone attacks in the Crimean port of Sevastopol, Russia terminated its agreement to transport Ukrainian grain.
It is a response to Russia’s admission that at least one warship was damaged during a “massive” Ukrainian drone attack that rocked the important port with big explosions.
Russia asserted that the vessels targeted by Ukrainian soldiers were part in a contract allowing grain exports from Ukrainian ports.
Russian warships in the Black Sea were obliged to repel an attack at Sevastopol, the largest city in Ukraine-annexed Crimea.
Governor of Sevastopol, Russia, Mikhail Razvozhayev, stated that the early morning strike caused no damage to the city’s infrastructure. However, the Russian Ministry of Defense later admitted that at least one vessel incurred minor damage.
The Ministry described it as a “terrorist attack” in which nine airborne drones and seven maritime drones were allegedly destroyed.
Moscow’s military asserted that British’specialists’ located in the southern Ukrainian city of Ochakiv had helped prepare and train Kyiv for the attack.
Moscow said the same British team was involved in explosions on the Nord Stream gas pipelines last month, further singling out the United Kingdom, which Moscow views as one of the most antagonistic Western nations.
Before Russia halted the deal, the Ministry had threatened via Telegram: ‘It should be emphasized that the ships of the Black Sea Fleet that were attacked by terrorists are involved in ensuring the security of the ‘grain corridor’ as part of an international initiative to export agricultural products from Ukrainian ports.’
Britain vehemently refuted allegations that they were engaged, stating, “the Russian Ministry of Defense is resorted to peddling epic-scale false accusations.”
This fabricated claim, according to the British defense ministry, speaks more about the Russian government than it does about the West.
Earlier today, Razvozhayev stated, “Black Sea Fleet ships are defending Sevastopol Bay against a drone attack.”
There have been no reports of damage in the city. The situation is manageable. All emergency response services are on standby.
A windowpane shattered in a student dormitory at an art college near the port, but there was no damage, he added.
Despite the fact that Ukraine has not verified these assaults, sources in Kiev assert that many Russian ships from the navy were blown up. Apparently, this includes the frigate Admiral Makarov.
Residents reported that the explosions’shook’ their homes and windows, and black smoke could be seen rising from the docks.
According to dramatic footage, a Moscow attack chopper destroyed a “underwater drone” in Omega Bay.
The video depicted the chopper hovering above the submerged object before it exploded into flames and billowed smoke.
The submerged device believed to be a drone was apparently following a battleship before being destroyed by the Russian chopper.
In addition to launching missiles, the chopper unleashed machine gun fire.
According to Russian officials, its air defenses deployed from naval warships were compelled to repel a prolonged five-hour Ukrainian bombardment that began at 4.30 a.m.
The Kremlin has also accused an American Global Hawk (RQ-4B) that “flew from Italy” of flying above the Black Sea and monitoring Russian responses to the coordinated Ukrainian assault.
In the vital port that is the headquarters of Putin’s Black Sea Fleet, all passenger ferry services were suspended.
It could be the most brazen attack Ukraine has ever launched on Russian naval assets in Sevastopol.
Razvozhayev stated earlier this week that a drone had bombed a thermal power plant in Sevastopol.
In July, a drone attack again targeted the port-based Russian fleet.
To date, attempts to corroborate Razvozhayev’s assertions that no harm has been done have failed.
The Russian diplomat pleaded with locals not to share footage of the attacks, arguing that doing so would benefit the Kiev government.
“A major request is that you refrain from writing what-where-how much you saw and heard,” he wrote.
‘And do not upload videos.
It should be obvious to everyone that such information is crucial for the UkroNazis to comprehend how our city’s defense is organized.
However, this did not prevent residents from reporting the explosions that occurred during the night.
One resident stated, “At 4:00 a.m., I awoke to a massive boom.” Thankfully, these are [our] air defenses.
Our vessels in Sevastopol Bay repelled a drone assault.
It was a very enjoyable evening.
Another statement read, “Woke up at 5:30 a.m. to an explosion.” Then, some time later, three more…’
A third person remarked, ‘Ten minutes ago, three explosions shook the home…’
Another comment stated, “Woke up to explosions this morning.”
“I’ve never heard anything like that. It rained so heavily that the apartment’s windows trembled.
Putin’s military has been pummeled by Kyiv’s soldiers, and Russia looks to have abandoned its offensive against Ukraine. As a result, Russia is now on the defensive.
Yesterday, British intelligence reported that severely undermanned and poorly trained Russian battalions have halted advancing across the majority of the front line over the past six weeks.
Ukrainian forces advance in both the country’s north and south, moving east from Kharkiv into Luhansk and advancing toward Kherson.
Analysts from the Ministry of Defense noted that at Kherson, companies of soldiers that should have consisted of 100 men fought with only six to eight men.
Despite Putin’s efforts to reinforce these forces with conscripted soldiers, it is unclear that Russia will be able to resume its offensive in the near future.
Earlier in the week, it appeared that Russia might withdraw from the city of Kherson, but Ukraine now fears that Putin is actually bolstering its defenses.
The chief of Ukraine’s military intelligence service, Kyrylo Budanov, stated earlier this week that Russia has been evacuating civilians, but is deploying military troops into urban areas, constructing defenses, and planning to battle for the city.
The evacuation and discussion of withdrawal by Russia’s top commander may have been an attempt to entice Ukraine into a costly urban war, he continued.