Ukraine claimed responsibility for the attack on an important Russian military airfield in Crimea that caused extensive damage

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Ukraine Strikes Russian Air Base in Crimea, Destroys Key Equipment

Ukraine has claimed responsibility for a recent attack on a Russian military airfield located in the Crimean peninsula, annexed by Moscow in 2014. The assault, which took place on Wednesday, resulted in the destruction of significant Russian military assets.

According to Ukrainian military intelligence (GUR), the attack on the Dzhankoi air base successfully destroyed four missile launchers of an S-400 anti-aircraft system, three radar stations, a control point, and aerospace surveillance equipment. The precision of the strike was commended by President Volodimir Zelensky, who praised the Ukrainian Army for their successful operation.

A group of Ukrainian partisans known as Atesh claimed responsibility for the attack, with President Zelensky specifically congratulating Army Chief Oleksandr Sirski for organizing the operation. Reports indicated that ballistic missiles were likely used in the attack, with smoke trails similar to those left by surface-to-surface missiles captured in videos.

Russian media sources reported explosions at the airfield during the attack, which was said to have caused fires and secondary explosions within the base. Satellite images from NASA showed multiple large fires surrounding the airfield, with reports suggesting that major military equipment and aircraft may have been targeted.

Roads around the airfield were closed following the attack, and helicopters were deployed to patrol the airspace. It is unclear whether there were any casualties resulting from the assault, but medical evacuation helicopters were observed operating in the area.

The Dzhankoi air base houses key Russian military aviation infrastructure, including fighter jets and helicopter squadrons. The base also reportedly stores Moscow’s main stockpile of Zircon hypersonic scramjet missiles. The attack on the base marks a significant escalation in tensions between Ukraine and Russia, with the full extent of the damage still being assessed at this time.