Major overnight strikes

Ukraine war latest: Three Russian ships, MiG-31 aircraft damaged in major overnight strikes on Crimea

The Kyiv Independent news desk

Three Russian ships, MiG-31 aircraft damaged in major overnight strikes on Crimea, SBU reports

Ukrainian drones strike Russia's Yaroslavl oil refinery, General Staff says amid latest mass attack inside Russia

US intercepts Iranian 'shadow fleet' vessel Sevan in Arabian Sea, US Central Command says

Germany believes Russia responsible for global cyber campaign on Signal, WhatsApp, media reports

Ukrainian forces struck three Russian ships, a fighter jet, and other targets in Russian-occupied Crimea overnight on April 26, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) reported.

In an operation led by the SBU's Alpha special forces unit, long-range drones hit the Russian Black Sea Fleet's naval base in occupied Sevastopol and the Belbek military airfield, the agency said in a statement.

Targets reportedly damaged included the Russian Navy's large landing ships Yamal and Filchenkov, the reconnaissance ship Ivan Khurs, the Black Sea Fleet's Lukomka training center, the headquarters of Russia's air defense radio-technical reconnaissance unit, and the MR-10M1 "Mys-M1" radar station.

At the Belbek military airfield, a MiG-31 aircraft and the technical and operational unit of the airfield were struck, the SBU said.

The Russian-installed head of Sevastopol, Mikhail Razvozhayev, said on Telegram late April 25 that Russian forces were repelling a Ukrainian attack, with air defense systems and mobile fire teams engaged.

Razvozhayev said air defenses shot down 71 Ukrainian drones. He said one civilian was killed and four others were injured.

He added that 17 homes were damaged in different parts of the city, along with civilian vehicles, shops and a railway contact line.

"Overnight, our city came under a massive attack by enemy (Ukrainian) drones," Razvozhayev said.

The acting head of the SBU, Yevhen Khmara, said the operation aimed to degrade Russia's military infrastructure.

"Every such operation follows a clear logic: We are methodically destroying key elements of the enemy's military infrastructure — the fleet, aviation, reconnaissance and air defense," Khmara said.

He said the strikes reduce Russia's ability to control airspace, protect its forces, and plan attacks.

Ukraine has repeatedly targeted military infrastructure deep inside Russia and in occupied territories in an effort to weaken Moscow's war-fighting capacity.