Russia says Crimean shipyard on fire, two ships damaged in Ukraine missile attack

MOSCOW (Reuters) : The Sevastopol Shipyard on the Crimean Peninsula was on fire early on Wednesday and two ships were damaged after Ukraine launched 10 missiles and three speedboat attacks on the port, Russia’s defence ministry said.

Seven missiles were downed by Russia’s air defence systems and all three boats were destroyed by a patrol ship, the ministry said in a statement on the Telegram messaging app.

“As a result of being hit by enemy cruise missiles, two ships under repair were damaged,” the ministry said.

Mikhail Razvozhayev, the Moscow-installed governor of Sevastopol, the largest city in Crimea and a major Black Sea port, said on Telegram that at least 24 people were injured.

“All emergency services are working on the site, there is no danger to civilian objects in the city,” Razvozhayev said.

The strategic shipyard on the peninsula, which Russia annexed from Ukraine in 2014, builds and repairs ships and submarines of the Russian Black Sea Fleet. The fleet has launched numerous drone and missile attacks on Ukraine.

Razvozhayev posted a nighttime photo of flames engulfing what seemed to be port infrastructure. Russian Telegram channels posted videos and more photos of massive flames at a facility alongside the water.

Reuters could not independently verify the report. There was no immediate comment from Kyiv.

Ukraine almost never publicly claims responsibility for attacks inside Russia or on Russian-controlled territory in Ukraine, but has been saying in recent months that destroying Russia’s military infrastructure helps Kyiv’s counteroffensive.