Ukrainian defence forces hit large landing ships Yamal and Azov in temporarily occupied Sevastopol

Sevastopol, temporarily occupied Crimea, Ukraine (Svidomi) — On the evening of March 23, Ukrainian military forces attacked the Russian Black Sea Fleet based in temporarily occupied Crimea. As a result of the attack, the large landing ships Yamal and Azov were damaged.

The Ukrainian military also hit a communications centre and several infrastructure facilities of the Russian Black Sea Fleet.

A representative of the Ukrainian Navy, Dmytro Pletenchuk, said that if the Russian landing ships Yamal and Azov were seriously damaged in occupied Sevastopol, it would be a significant "another loss for the Russians".

"If damage to two large landing ships is serious, it will be a significant loss. Because out of 13 units that were available at the beginning of the full-scale invasion, only five large landing ships remained in service, then only three will remain," the Ukrainian Navy spokesperson said.

The UK also reacted to the attack on the Russian Black Sea Fleet ships.

"Putin's continued illegal occupation of [the territories of] Ukraine is causing huge damage to Russia's Black Sea Fleet, which is now functionally inactive. And even there, Putin's ships are sinking!" wrote UK Defence Secretary Grant Shapps.