UKRAINE: THE SITUATION 569 - SEPTEMBER 13, 2023

Ukrainian Armed Forces conducted missile strikes on the occupied Sevastopol in Crimea on September 13, damaging a Russian landing ship, a Kilo-class submarine, and the port infrastructure.

According to the Department of Strategic Communications of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, the Ukrainian forces successfully carried out missile attacks on Russian naval assets and port infrastructure in the occupied Sevastopol. The spokesperson for the Main Intelligence Directorate (GUR), Andriy Yusev, stated that the missiles hit the state-owned Russian ship repair facility Sevmorzavod, damaging repair facilities, a landing ship, and a submarine that are both irreparable.

The Russian Ministry of Defense claims that Russian air defense intercepted seven out of ten Ukrainian cruise missiles aimed at the Sevmorzavod ship repair facility, but admitted that Ukrainian missiles hit two ships under repair. Geographic footage released on September 13 shows explosions at the dry dock in the port of Sevastopol. Satellite images released on September 12 show a Ropucha-class landing ship and a Kilo-class submarine in the dry dock, and satellite images released on September 13 confirm that the Ukrainian missile strike likely destroyed the two ships.

Ukrainian South Joint Forces spokesperson Captain Natalia Humeniuk stated that there were no Russian missile carriers present during the attack, but noted that Ukrainian intelligence has yet to identify which submarine was in the dry dock. The apparent destruction of the two ships will likely render the dry dock inoperable until Russian forces clean up the wreckage, which could take some time. The extent of damage to the Sevmorzavod repair facilities beyond the dry dock is unclear, and any damage to one of the main repair facilities of the Russian Black Sea Fleet in occupied Crimea will likely have lasting effects if there are further Ukrainian attacks on Russian naval facilities.

The full Russian Offensive Update 569 is available directly from UNDERSTANDING WAR.

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