According to a UK defense intelligence report, Ukraine’s successful strike on a Russian naval corvette in Kerch in the southeast of occupied Crimea has put Russia’s shipbuilding facilities in jeopardy. This development could potentially lead to substantial delays in delivering new vessels.
The British Defense Ministry tweeted on 7 November:
As reported by Ukrainian and Russian sources, on 4 November 2023, a newly built Russian naval corvette was almost certainly damaged after being struck while alongside at the Zaliv shipyard in Kerch, occupied Crimea.
The [KARAKURT-class] Askold, launched in 2021, had not been commissioned into the Russian Navy. The incident is farther to the east in Crimea than most previous Ukrainian-claimed long-range strikes.
Ukraine’s capability to hit Crimean shipbuilding infrastructure will likely cause Russia to consider relocating farther from the front line, delaying the delivery of new vessels.
- Ukraine conducted a series of strikes on a shipyard located in the occupied Crimea’s Kerch, Stratcom reported on 4 November.
- Russia’s Defense Ministry confirmed the strike, claiming to have intercepted 13 of 15 cruise missiles.
- Ukraine’s Air Force spokesman Yurii Ihnat said the damaged ship was the Russian Navy’s Askold.
- Commander of Ukraine’s Air Force, Mykola Oleshchuk, indicated the possibility of SCALP missiles being used in a Telegram post after the strike.
- On 6 November, the Ukrainian Army’s Strategic Communications Dept confirmed damage to the Askold, sharing a photo of the damaged vessel
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