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Updated: Ukraine strikes ferry crossing, oil depots in Russia's Krasnodar Krai, General Staff says

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Updated: Ukraine strikes ferry crossing, oil depots in Russia's Krasnodar Krai, General Staff says
Illustrative purposes only: A Ukrainian-made Neptune missile being fired on April 5, 2019. (The Presidential Office of Ukraine)

Ukrainian forces struck a ferry crossing and an oil depot at Port Kavkaz in Russia's Krasnodar Krai with missiles overnight on May 31, the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces reported.

Port Kavkaz lies at the Kerch Strait, which divides Russia from occupied Crimea. Only one day earlier, the Ukrainian military reported a strike against the ferry crossing at the Kerch port on the Crimean side of the strait with ATACMS missiles.

Telegram channels and Russian authorities reported a fire at the oil depot earlier in the day. The General Staff said that the depot was damaged by several Ukrainian-made Neptune missiles but did not elaborate on the extent of the damage.

The military added that explosions at targeted areas were confirmed, but "the accuracy with which they were hit is being investigated."

Russian authorities claim that there are multiple casualties among the employees of the oil depot as a result of the strike. The Kyiv Independent could not verify all the claims.

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Purported footage of a fire at Port Kavkaz, Krasnodar Krai, Russia, following a Ukrainian strike overnight on May 31, 2024. (KerchNovosti/VK)

Another oil depot in Krasnodar Krai was hit in a drone attack, according to the General Staff.

The recent attacks were the result of a "several-days-long operation aimed at destroying the logistics crucial for Russian forces in Crimea," sources in the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) told the Kyiv Independent.

"According to preliminary information, a comprehensive strike targeted substations and power supply grid, as well as oil product supplies in Russia's Krasnodar Krai," a source noted.

The operation was carried out jointly by the SBU and other units of Ukrainian defense forces, the source said.

First, the military launched a missile attack on two ferries traveling to Port Kavkaz, which were used by Russia for military logistics. SBU drones subsequently carried out an attack against substations that supply energy to occupied Crimea and against ports in the Kerch Strait, according to the sources.

The same night, the SBU and the Navy reportedly attacked the oil depot at the Kavkaz Port, which stored oil products destined for Crimea, according to the source.

Ukraine war latest: Russian ferry crossing, 4 patrol boats struck in Crimea, military says
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Martin Fornusek

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Martin Fornusek is a reporter for the Kyiv Independent, specializing in international and regional politics, history, and disinformation. Based in Lviv, Martin often reports on international politics, with a focus on analyzing developments related to Ukraine and Russia. His career in journalism began in 2021 after graduating from Masaryk University in Brno, Czechia, earning a Master's degree in Conflict and Democracy Studies. Martin has been invited to speak on Times Radio, France 24, Czech Television, and Radio Free Europe. He speaks English, Czech, and Ukrainian.

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