KYIV: Ukraine claimed on Thursday that it had successfully raised its flag over the Russian-annexed Crimean Peninsula during an overnight “special joint operation” conducted in conjunction with its Navy.
Kyiv has consistently expressed its intention to reclaim Crimea, which is internationally recognized as part of Ukraine but has been under Russian control since 2014.
In a statement, Ukraine’s GUR intelligence agency claimed that its special forces successfully landed on the western shore of Crimea, near the towns of Olenivka and Mayak, where they engaged in combat.
The statement further asserted that this operation resulted in personnel losses on the adversary’s side and the destruction of enemy equipment. The climax of the operation was symbolized by the reinstatement of the Ukrainian state flag on Crimean soil.
Throughout the course of Moscow’s invasion, Ukraine has launched multiple counterattacks on the Russian-annexed peninsula, referring to the territory as “temporarily occupied” in official statements. Just a day prior, Kyiv reported the destruction of a potent Russian S-400 anti-aircraft system in the same area, which it deemed a substantial blow to enemy air defenses.
Conversely, Moscow has accused Ukraine of targeting the Russian-constructed Crimean bridge, which has been closed due to several incidents, including a major explosion in October of the preceding year.
