Nine killed and top Russian generals wounded in Ukraine’s hit on Black Sea fleet base in occupied Crimea

Ukraine's Intelligence Chief Kyrylo Budanov says the September 22nd attack on the Russian Black Sea fleet base killed at least nine enemy troops and wounded 16, including top generals.

The final number of wounded is being specified, just as the status of wounded generals, including the Black Sea Fleet Chief Viktor Sokolov, whose death Budanov hasn't yet confirmed in an interview with Voice of America.

Among the wounded is the group's commander, Colonel General Aleksandr Romanchuk, who remains in a very serious condition. The chief of staff, Lieutenant General Oleg Tsekov, is unconscious.

The number of injured ordinary soldiers who are not staff members is still being established. These are soldiers on duty, security guards, and so on – they are not included in the list I have cited you.

Alexandr Romanchuk is the commander of the Russian forces group on the Zaporizhzhia front, being promoted to colonel general in 2023.

Lieutenant General Oleg Tsekov is the commander of the 200th MLRSBG of the Coastal Forces of the Northern Fleet.

VOA journalists asked whether local partisan groups or military movements took an active part in the operation. Budanov said Ukraine's Intelligence gathers data from all sources. 

It is clear that intelligence sources are one of the main ones, he added.

At the same time, the intelligence chief did not answer whether Western-made missiles were used in the attack on the Black Sea Fleet headquarters.

I have to refrain from answering here, I think you will understand me, he said.

Ukrainian Special Operation Forces stated that the successful operation led to an accurate missile strike on the Russian Black Sea fleet headquarters.

The daring and consistent planning backed their successful hit "on time" during a meeting of Russia's Navy's leadership in occupied Sevastopol.

Soon after the recon, Ukrainian SOF sent the collected data to the Air Force, which allegedly attacked the base with UK-supplied Storm Shadow missiles.

The details of the operation will be exposed as soon as possible, and the result is dozens of dead and wounded occupiers, including the senior leadership of the fleet.

Moving on!, the press service said.

Ukrainian attacks on occupied Crimea have become more frequent after the supply of long-range missiles and local production surplus. They hit Russian clusters of personnel, air defense, and other military equipment, harming no civilians.

On September 22, powerful explosions were heard twice in the occupied Sevastopol as several missiles flew over the city.

Russia's Defense Ministry has admitted that the attack damaged the building of the Russian Black Sea fleet headquarters and reported one dead soldier.

Ukraine also officially confirmed the information about the damage to the headquarters in Sevastopol.