Russia claims Ukrainian Neptune missile destroyed over occupied Crimea

The Russian Defense Ministry claimed its forces shot down a Ukrainian Neptune anti-ship missile near the Crimean coast late on Oct. 3. Kyiv hasn’t commented on the allegation.

The missile was purportedly destroyed over the northwestern part of the Black Sea at around 8:30 p.m. Moscow time, according to the ministry.

Meanwhile, Mikhail Razvozhaev, the head of Sevastopol's illegal Russian occupation government, claimed a drone was downed over the occupied Crimean city. Drone debris allegedly fell on a residential building near the Sevastopol Bay, which hosts Russia’s Black Sea fleet, Razvozhaev said on Telegram.

Increased attacks on Crimea disrupt Russian logistics, attempt to derail its southern defenses

Since mid-July, drones and missiles have regularly targeted Russian military depots and infrastructure in occupied Crimea. Russian proxies reported that the Chonhar Bridge, serving as Russia’s fastest rail route from occupied Crimea to the southern front line, was allegedly hit multiple times on Au…

The Kyiv IndependentAlexander Khrebet

No casualties have been reported in Sevastopol, but the drone remains shattered windows in some apartments, according to Razvozhaev.

These claims couldn’t be independently verified.

Neptune is Ukraine’s ground-launched, domestically produced anti-ship rocket with a maximum range of 300 kilometers.

Ukrainian forces reportedly used Neptune missiles to destroy a Russian S-400 Triumph air defense system on Sept. 14 and sink Russia’s Black Sea flagship Moskva in April last year.

Uncertain Triumph: Ukraine picks apart Russia’s best air defenses in Crimea

The past month has not been kind to Russia’s forces in occupied Crimea. In a span of weeks, a ship, a submarine, and multiple air defense systems were destroyed. Ukraine said these targets included Russia’s S-400 surface-to-air missile systems, optimistically named the Triumph. Purported videos of…

The Kyiv IndependentIgor Kossov

Ukraine's military has recently increased its strikes on Russian military sites in occupied Crimea – however, the attacks usually aren't recognized officially. Media attribute them to Ukrainian troops based on confirmations from anonymous insider sources.

On Sept. 22, a Ukrainian missile strike on Sevastopol damaged the building of Russia's Black Sea Fleet headquarters.