As of: March 27, 2024, 2:15 p.m
By: Patrick Mayer
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The Ukrainian armed forces deliver the next major blow against Vladimir Putin's Black Sea Fleet in Crimea.
A secret weapon from Kiev was probably involved.
Sevastopol - It is probably the next proof that Russia's air defense in Crimea is having major problems defending the peninsula, which was annexed in violation of international law in 2014, against air strikes by Ukraine.
In Crimea: Vladimir Putin's Black Sea Fleet is under heavy pressure
On Saturday and Sunday (March 24), the Ukrainian armed forces carried out the next heavy air strikes against Kremlin autocrat Vladimir Putin's Black Sea Fleet.
According to the latest findings, in addition to Kiev's air force, the battered country's navy was also involved in these sensational hits in the Ukrainian war - and, significantly, its coastal defense.
Because: As the
Defense Express
portal reported on Wednesday (March 27), the Russian reconnaissance ship “Iwan Churs” was probably hit by a Ukrainian anti-ship missile “Neptune”.
This is supposed to be proven by satellite recordings that are circulating on Telegram.
It would be the next serious attack by the Ukrainians with Putin's nightmare weapon.
Sevastopol under attack: Satellite photos are said to show the damaged Russian reconnaissance ship “Iwan Churs” (white marking) in Crimea.
© Screenshot Telegram@kiber_boroshno
Putin's Black Sea Fleet: Ukrainians sank the "Moskva" with Neptune missiles
As a reminder: On April 14, 2022, the Ukrainians allegedly damaged the Russian guided missile cruiser “Moskva” with two Neptune missiles to such an extent that the badly hit Russian warship sank while attempting to tow it to Sevastopol.
It was a prestigious military success for Kiev.
Not only did the guided missile cruiser bear the name of the Russian capital - it was also the flagship of Putin's Black Sea Fleet.
At the time, Moscow denied the alleged Neptune strike so vehemently, despite integrated air defense on the guided missile cruiser, that this could literally be seen as an indication of the authenticity of the Ukrainian version.
While Russian parents publicly searched for their missing sons, specifically for marine soldiers from the “Moskva”, the Kremlin instead spoke of a fire caused by a defect on board.
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Ukraine's Neptune anti-ship missile: strikes against Moscow's Crimean troops
That's not all: on both August 23rd and September 14th, 2023, the Ukrainians want to have destroyed a large S-400-Triumf anti-aircraft missile system in Crimea with Neptune anti-ship missiles - first near Tarchankut, then near Yevpatoria.
The “Iwan Churs” is said to have been hit in the stern by an R-360 Neptun, as it was technically called, while lying on land.
There was no reaction to the report from Russia; the information cannot be independently verified because the images distributed are quite blurry.
Kiev announced the development of the R-360 Neptune anti-ship missile in 2013 after Euromaidan, when it became clear that the Moscow regime would not accept a Ukraine aligned with the European Union (EU).
Because the Ukrainians only had a very small navy at that time with equally small coastal patrol boats, missile batteries with anti-ship missiles were supposed to take over coastal defense - for example around Odessa.
Against the threat from Russia: Ukraine developed Neptune rockets itself
A Neptune missile battery usually consists of a USPU-360 launch vehicle for launching the five-meter-long missiles, an RCP-360 fire control vehicle (see photo below, 2nd from left) for target control and several TZM-360 Transport trucks.
The state-owned development office Luch from Kiev worked together with the Zhulyany machine factory and the truck manufacturer KrAZ to design the heavy weapon, which is entirely Ukrainian-made.
The anti-ship missile is comparatively light with a combat weight of 870 kilograms including booster; the same applies to the warhead at 150 kilograms.
The weapon can supposedly fly at speeds of 940 km/h.
A secret is made of how the rocket can use its search radar to evade electronic countermeasures on final approach.
And how a relatively small warhead is able to sink an entire warship.
The 2017 photo shows a complete Ukrainian Neptune rocket battery with a USPU-360 launch vehicle at the front.
(Archive photo) © IMAGO/palinchak
Ukraine war: Expert sees Crimea as the key against Vladimir Putin
According to their own statements, the Ukrainian armed forces also bombed Russian communications facilities in Sevastopol last weekend and severely damaged the landing ships “Yamal” and “Azov” in air strikes.
The powerful “Storm Shadow” and/or “Scalp-EG” cruise missiles were probably used again, fired by either the Ukrainian MiG-29 or Su-24M fighter aircraft.
By mid-January, 22 warships from Putin's Black Sea Fleet were either sunk or at least permanently damaged, according to Ukrainian information.
Significant: The American former general and current military expert Ben Hodges recently wrote in a guest article for the
Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ)
: “In order to end this war victoriously, Ukraine must make the annexed Crimea untenable for the Russians.
As long as Russian troops are stationed in Crimea, the Russians can attack Ukraine from two fronts at any time and block the sea route through the Black Sea.”
(pm)