Russian military chief killed in Black Sea Storm Shadow strike, Ukraine claims

Ukraine’s Storm Shadow strike on Russia’s Black Sea Fleet headquarters in Crimea on Friday killed a Russian commander and injured several other high-ranking Russian officials, Ukraine claimed according to media reports from Saturday.

“The details of the attack will be revealed as soon as possible and the result is dozens of dead and wounded occupants, including senior fleet commanders,” the Ukrainian army said, according to the Telegraph.

“Among the wounded is the commander of the group, Colonel-General [Alexander] Romanchuk, in a very serious condition. The chief of staff, Lieutenant General [Oleg] Tsekov, is unconscious,” Lt.-Gen. Kyrylo Budanov, the head of Ukraine’s military intelligence, told Voice of America.

Budanov claimed that nine others had been killed in the strike, and 16 injured. Rumors online have suggested that Admiral Viktor Sokolov, commander of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet, is among the dead. However, Budanov did not confirm the reports. 

The Russian-installed governor of Sevastopol, Mikhail Razvozhayev confirmed that there were no civilian casualties or damage to civilian infrastructure, according to Reuters.

The future of Crimea

Oleksiy Danilov, the secretary of Ukraine's Security Council said there were two options for the future of Russia's Black Sea fleet - voluntary or forced "self-neutralization."

If it did not choose the voluntary option, it "will be sliced up like a salami," he said on X.

Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak said Crimea "will definitely be demilitarized and liberated." Moscow says it will never give up the peninsula.

Russian-installed authorities said air defenses downed another missile on Friday near the town of Bakhchysarai.

Separately, Oleg Kryuchkov, an aide to Crimea head Sergei Aksyonov, said internet service providers on the peninsula were under an "unprecedented cyberattack," leading to interruptions in service.