September 22, 2023 - Russia-Ukraine news

The Ukrainian missile attack on the headquarters of the Russian Black Sea Fleet is politically a sign that despite the slow progress on the front lines in its counteroffensive, Ukraine can still inflict serious damage on the Russian military. Targets such as the Crimea bridge have considerable symbolic value as well as strategic purpose.

It’s also part of a broader effort – in Crimea, Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk and Luhansk – to hit Russian logistics, fuel, maintenance and command centers, in order to disrupt their ability to supply the front lines.

The Russian Black Sea Fleet has been involved in hundreds of cruise missile attacks against Ukraine and threatens merchant shipping using Ukrainian ports. Any disruption to its operation and command facilities (as well as the targeting of vessels at sea and in dock) is a win, especially after the Russian withdrawal from the Black Sea Grain Initiative in July. And, this week, the Ukrainians went after a drone facility in Crimea. Russia has used drones to target Ukraine’s Danube River ports.

Ukraine has devoted considerable effort to degrading Russian air defenses in Crimea. That effort now appears to be paying off – as Ukrainian Neptune missiles (and most probably UK-provided Storm Shadows) are capable of reaching targets deep inside Crimea.

While some US officials have been critical of Ukraine's concentration on Crimea, the Ukrainians argue that targeting anything to do with the Black Sea Fleet is worthwhile. As the Institute for the Study of War noted Thursday, “elements of the Black Sea Fleet’s 810th Naval Infantry Brigade are engaged in critical defensive operations in western Zaporizhzhia Oblast, and the Black Sea Fleet’s 22nd Army Corps is defending positions on the east bank of Kherson Oblast.”

Read the full analysis here.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky thanked Canada for its support of Ukraine during in a meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Friday in Ottawa. 

“I want to thank that in this tough period you hosted Ukrainians, and you helped us on the battlefield, military, financially, and humanitarian, which is crucial,” Zelensky said. 

The Ukrainian president hinted that he may visit Canada with his children “after the victory” in Ukraine’s war with Russia. 

“Thank you that you stayed with us,” Zelensky said, adding that Canada supported Ukraine since before the invasion.

Trudeau said this meeting serves as an opportunity for him to “sit down and talk about all the things we need to do together” and to stand strongly against Russia. The prime minister said Canada “strongly and unequivocally” stands with Ukraine. 

Ukraine’s defense minister, Rustem Umerov, is also in Ottawa holding bilateral talks with his Canadian counterpart in an effort to shore up military support.

Canada has warned the cyber community to be in a heightened state of vigilance during Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s visit to Canada.

The Canadian cyber security community — especially the operators of government and critical infrastructure websites — should adopt a heightened state of vigilance and bolster their awareness of and protection against malicious cyber threats, a statement from Canada’s Communications Security Establishment (CSE) warned Friday.

“We have observed that it’s not uncommon to see increased distributed denial of service (DDoS) campaigns against NATO countries that support Ukraine, or host visits from Ukrainian government officials,” the statement continued.

About the Ukrainian president's visit: Zelensky is set to deliver an address to the Canadian Parliament on Friday and meet with the Canadian finance minister and business leaders in Toronto.

The situation in the Black Sea remains "tense," a Ukrainian military spokesperson said Friday, adding that Ukraine still has "a long way to go" to "destroy all the enemy's capabilities" in Crimea.

Natalia Humeniuk, a spokesperson for the Security and Defense Forces of the South of Ukraine, said in a video address that Russia is "realizing that it is no longer safe for them in the Black Sea and in their bases."

Earlier Friday, Ukraine launched a missile attack on the headquarters of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet, in perhaps the most dramatic example yet of the confidence with which Kyiv is going after Russian facilities in Crimea.

The spokesperson, however, acknowledged the challenges ahead.

Humeniuk also said that "explosion season" will continue, adding, "there will be many more informative and interesting things to come." 

Over the past month, Ukraine has stepped up attacks on Russian military bases and other installations, including air defenses, in Crimea. In recent weeks, Ukraine launched a missile attack on a shipyard in Sevastopol, said it destroyed Russia's S-400 missile system in Crimea, and most recently said it hit a Russian command post near Sevastopol on Wednesday.

The Strategic Communications Department of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (Stratcom) confirmed on Friday that Ukraine successfully targeted the headquarters of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet in Sevastopol on Friday.

Sevastopol is one of the largest cities in the Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea and was illegally annexed by Moscow's forces in 2014.

Over the past month, Ukraine has stepped up attacks on Russian military bases and other installations, including air defenses, in Crimea.

Crimean Internet providers have faced an "unprecedented" cyberattack, leading to Internet access issues for residents on the peninsula, the local Russian-appointed official said Friday.

According to Oleg Kryuchkov, adviser to the head of occupied Crimea, “an unprecedented cyber-attack” has been launched on Crimean Internet providers.

Earlier Friday, Ukraine launched a missile attack on the headquarters of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet, the Russian-appointed governor of Sevastopol, Crimea, said.

Over the past month, Ukraine has stepped up attacks on Russian military bases and other installations, including air defenses, in Crimea. Sevastopol, home to Russia’s Black Sea Fleet headquarters, is one of the largest cities on the Crimean peninsula and was illegally annexed by Moscow’s forces in 2014.

CNN's Olga Voitovych, Jessie Gretener and Tim Lister contributed reporting to this post.

Ukrainian officials are commenting on the Ukrainian missile attack that targeted the Russian Black Sea Fleet headquarters in Sevastopol, one of Crimea's largest city, on Friday.

Oleksii Danilov, secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine warned that Russia has two options for the future of its fleet, "voluntary or forced self-liquidation." He added, "the best and safest way to preserve the integrity of the property and economic complex" of Sevastopol and its surrounding areas "is voluntary sinking."

Mykola Oleshchuk, commander of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, posted on Telegram Friday and pointed to recent warnings by Ukrainians regarding increased attacks on Russian military bases in Crimea. "We promised that 'to be continued…' So, while the occupiers are recovering in Melitopol, and air raid sirens are still heard in Sevastopol, I would like to thank the Air Force pilots once again!" 

Refat Chubarov, the chairman of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar People in Ukraine, thanked those involved in the operation to "liberate" Crimea. "My friends, congratulating me on my birthday, write that today's strikes on the most important military targets of the Russian barbarians in Crimea are a gift from the Ukrainian Defense Forces," said Chubarov, who is currently working from Ukrainian-controlled territory outside of Crimea.

Ukraine has launched a missile attack on the headquarters of Russia's Black Sea Fleet located in Sevastopol, the largest city in the Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea, which was illegally annexed by Moscow's forces in 2014.

Russian state media TASS reported that debris was “scattered for hundreds of meters” following the missile strike. TASS added that a large number of ambulances were on their way to the scene of the attack.

Ukrainian officials have yet to comment on the incident.

If you are just joining us, here are the latest developments:

A Russian soldier was missing as a result of the Ukrainian missile attack on the headquarters of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet in Sevastopol in Crimea on Friday, Russian’s Ministry of Defense said.

Meanwhile, Russian-appointed Gov. Mikhail Razvozhayev had earlier said on Telegram that another attack was possible and advised residents to avoid the city center. Later, he updated to say there was no more "missile and aviation danger."

Ukrainian officials have not yet commented on the incident.