Ukraine particular forces ‘seize back’ gasoline and oil rigs close to Crimea
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krainian particular forces have regained management from Russia of a number of gasoline and oil offshore drilling platforms near Crimea, defence intelligence chiefs mentioned on Monday.
The GUR, Ukraine’s navy intelligence, acknowledged that Kyiv’s forces had retaken the drilling platforms referred to as the “Boiko Towers” in a “unique operation”.
It mentioned the platforms had been occupied since 2015 by Russia, which seized and annexed Crimea in 2014, and had been utilized by Moscow for navy functions for the reason that begin of Vladimir Putin’s full-scale invasion in February 2022.
Russia didn’t instantly touch upon the report which couldn’t be independently verified.
“For Ukraine, regaining control of the Boiko Towers was of strategic importance and, as a result, Russia lost the ability to use them for military purposes,” GUR mentioned in a video posted on Telegram.
“Russia has been deprived of the ability to fully control the waters of the Black Sea, and this makes Ukraine many steps closer to regaining Crimea,” it mentioned.
During the operation, GUR mentioned, there was a conflict between Ukrainian particular forces on boats and a Russianfighter jet, which was broken and compelled to retreat.
GUR additionally captured different “valuable trophies” resembling helicopter munitions and a radar system that may observe the motion of ships within the Black Sea, it mentioned.
Before Russia seized the Crimea peninsula, Ukraine extracted a major a part of its pure gasoline from the Black Sea shelf, offering gasoline not just for Crimea but additionally to mainland areas of Ukraine.
Ukraine mentioned on Monday that its troops had regained extra territory on the japanese and southern fronts previously week of its counter-offensive in opposition to Russian forces.
Deputy Defence Minister Hanna Maliar mentioned in televised feedback that Ukraine had retaken almost two sq. km (0.77 sq. mile) of land across the japanese city of Bakhmut, captured by Russia in May after months of fierce preventing.
She later added on the Telegram messaging app that the Ukrainian military had previously week additionally recaptured 4.8 sq. km (1.8 sq miles) within the southern Tavria sector.
In her televised feedback, Ms Maliar mentioned Ukrainian forces had captured a part of the village of Opytne, south of the japanese metropolis of Avdiivka, and had “partial success” close to the village of Novomaiorske within the japanese area of Donetsk.
She reported “some success” close to the villages of Andriivka and Klishchiivka south of Bakhmut.
Ukrainian troops have regained management of about 49 sq. km (19 sq miles) close to Bakhmut for the reason that begin of the counter-offensive in early June, Ms Maliar mentioned. In the Tavria route, over 256 sq. km (99 sq miles) had been recaptured, she added.
Kyiv has retaken a sequence of villages and settlements within the counter-offensive, however its troopers have been hampered by huge Russian minefields and trenches.
Ms Maliar’s claims couldn’t be independently verified. Russia has disputed some current reviews of Ukrainian advances.
Meanwhile, Ukraine’s overseas minister mentioned he mentioned air defence provides along with his German counterpart in Kyiv on Monday and that Ukraine wanted extra programs to guard its ports from Russian air strikes to make sure grain might be exported.
Dmytro Kuleba additionally urged Berlin to ship Taurus missiles to Ukraine as quickly as doable.
“You will do it anyway, its just a matter of time, and I don’t understand why we are wasting time,” he mentioned in response to a query at a news convention in Kyiv.