Russian Black Sea dominance 'challenged' after naval ship 'destroyed', Grant Shapps says

The UK's defence secretary has expressed satisfaction with reports indicating that Ukraine has successfully destroyed a Russian naval ship in the Black Sea, asserting that the airstrike serves as evidence contradicting critics who believe there is a stalemate in the Ukraine war.

The attack, acknowledged by both Ukraine and Russia on Tuesday, specifically targeted a vessel identified as the landing ship Novocherkask in Feodosia, located in Russian-occupied Crimea. Grant Shapps, in response to these developments, remarked that Russia's dominance in the Black Sea is now facing a challenge.

He stated, "This latest destruction of Putin's navy demonstrates that those who believe there's a stalemate in the Ukraine war are wrong. They haven't noticed that over the past four months, 20% of Russia's Black Sea Fleet has been destroyed."

Mykola Oleshchuk, commander of Ukraine's air force, confirmed the destruction of the warship, expressing gratitude to the Air Force pilots and everyone involved for their precise work. Meanwhile, Russia's defence ministry acknowledged the ship's damage and claimed that two Ukrainian jets had been shot down, a claim denied by Ukraine.

Sergei Aksyonov, the Russian-appointed governor of Crimea, reported one fatality and two injuries resulting from the airstrike. Footage shared by Russian news outlets depicted powerful explosions and fires in the area with a population of approximately 69,000 people. Emergency services were promptly deployed to the site, and residents of affected houses were evacuated. Trains were diverted, and street traffic was partially blocked in response to the strike.

Crimea, annexed by Russia from Ukraine in 2014, holds strategic importance in the Black Sea. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has consistently expressed the aim of reclaiming the region. Throughout the 22-month conflict, both Russia and Ukraine have frequently embellished their claims of gains and losses inflicted upon each other.

रूसी काले सागर की प्रभुता 'चुनौती' में, जलसेना को 'नष्ट' कहते हैं, ग्रांट शैप्स।