Top Russian proxy claims Ukraine attacked railway connecting occupied Crimea, Kherson Oblast

Russian-installed proxy in Kherson Oblast Volodymyr Saldo claimed that Ukrainian forces attacked the railway connecting Dzhankoi in occupied Crimea and Hehichesk in Kherson Oblast with cruise missiles overnight on July 29.

Saldo, a Ukrainian politician who defected to Russia's side and was placed in charge of the occupied part of southern Kherson Oblast, said Ukraine had “fired 12 long-range Storm Shadow missiles,” and that “Russian air defense downed all of them.”

Russian pro-war Telegram channels that generally report on military activity near the front lines, however, did not report air defense operating in the area overnight on July 29.

The Russian Defense Ministry reported later in the day on July 29 that its air defenses had “downed seven Storm Shadow missiles” over the past day.

An outpost and infrastructure were “slightly damaged” by the missile debris, according to Saldo.

The Kyiv Independent could not independently verify the claims.

Dzhankoi, a train hub in northern Crimea, sits around 75 kilometers south of the port city of Henichesk.

On June 22, Russian proxies claimed that the Chonhar Bridge, a key connection between occupied Crimea and Ukraine’s mainland, was damaged in a strike. Saldo once again claimed that it was carried out by Storm Shadow missiles without providing evidence of their use.

Dzhankoi lies around 35 kilometers from the Chonhar Bridge.

Saldo, who was once Kherson's mayor and councilman, as well as a national lawmaker, is one of the highest-profile Ukrainian collaborators and stands accused of treason. He fled Kherson before it was liberated by Ukrainian forces on Nov. 11.

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