There have been numerous updates from occupied Crimea, where Russian forces have intensified their efforts to disrupt the Ukrainian grain corridor in the western Black Sea. They have targeted a civilian cargo ship from their positions on drilling rigs, prompting Ukrainian commanders to launch a large-scale amphibious operation to storm the Russian sea strongholds.
Despite these challenges, Ukraine has successfully secured the vital grain corridor through the Black Sea, which is crucial for economic recovery and global markets, especially for countries in Africa and the Middle East. However, Russian forces continue to target Ukrainian port and grain infrastructure in Odesa Oblast in an attempt to disrupt exports. Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal has reported that 66 million tons of cargo have been shipped in 2024, almost reaching pre-invasion levels.
In a recent incident, Russian forces attacked a civilian cargo ship passing through the corridor in the western Black Sea, possibly trying to undermine international confidence in its safety. Ukrainian officials have confirmed that a cruise missile strike was carried out by the Russians on a civilian cargo ship flying the flag of a third country, transporting wheat to Egypt, just as it was leaving Ukrainian territorial waters. The Romanian Coast Guard has also reported that the Russian missile hit the ship while it was in Romania’s maritime economic zone, highlighting the provocative nature of this act.
In response to this threat, Ukraine launched a daring amphibious operation to neutralize the oil rig platforms that Russia had seized in 2014. The operation, which was one of the largest of its kind, involved Ukrainian Naval forces and elements of the Main Military Intelligence directorate. They used 14 Willard Sea Force inflatable speed boats to launch a surprise attack on the Crimean drilling rig. Footage of the operation shows the boats advancing quickly towards the platform, with Ukrainian forces deploying drones to strike enemy positions and suppress their ability to retaliate. The boats then unleashed a barrage of fire from M2 Browning 12.7 mm machine guns, followed by powerful explosions on the platform. The Ukrainian forces engaged in a fierce firefight with the remaining Russian troops, demonstrating their tactical precision and overwhelming firepower.
In response to the attack, Russian forces sent several fighter jets, including Su-30 and Su-35, to intercept the Ukrainian boats. During the engagement, one of the Su-30 aircraft suddenly disappeared from radar. Search and rescue operations were immediately launched to locate the missing jet. At first, the cause of the incident was unclear, leading to various speculations.
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