Explosions reported in Crimea as Ukrainian army targets military facilities

The so-called "governor" of Sevastopol, Mikhail Razvozhayev, reported the attack on the temporarily occupied Crimea.

According to him, Russian air defense was allegedly operating in the city and "several air targets have been shot down" and fragments have fallen. "A shrapnel hit a house in Hlukhiv. There is preliminary one person wounded. Some shrapnel from aerial targets fell in the area of Mostova Street, on the Northern side, in the area of Monastyrske Highway and Fedyukhyni Heights."

Razvozhayev assured that there was no significant damage.

Telegram channels report that one Ukrainian missile was allegedly shot down, and the second hit a military unit (communications centre) in Yukharina Balka in Sevastopol. According to eyewitnesses, ambulances and firefighters have arrived there.

The Russian Ministry of Defense said that at around 17:20 Moscow time, "an attempt by the Kyiv regime to carry out a terrorist attack using air guided missiles against targets" in Crimea was stopped. In particular, 10 missiles were allegedly destroyed over the peninsula. There are also reports of explosions in Yevpatoriya. Eyewitnesses claim that they heard and saw a missile before the explosion. 

A local Telegram channel, citing eyewitnesses, reported that an air defense unit was targeted at Zatyshne, near Yevpatoriya (Saky district). Ambulances were seen there.

The attack on the temporarily occupied Crimea and the hitting of military facilities was indirectly confirmed by the commander of Ukraine's Air Force, Lieutenant General Mykola Oleshchuk.

He noted that on January 2, the Russian Ministry reported that Russian missiles had hit "a bunker with Deputy Commander-in-Chief Valeriy Zaluzhnyi and nine other generals of the Armed Forces of Ukraine".

"Greetings to the Russian occupation forces in Crimea! I am waiting for the same epic report by Russian propaganda from Sevastopol and Yevpatoria on January 4, and once again thank the Air Force pilots and all those who planned the operation for their impeccable combat work," the general said.

The Ukrainian Armed Forces' Telegram channel also confirms the damage to a Russian military facility in Crimea.

"Today at about 15:00, the Ukrainian Armed Forces hit the command post of the Russian occupation forces near Sevastopol. Glory to the Armed Forces!" the post reads.