Russia has confirmed that a warship was damaged in the Ukrainian attack on the port in the Black Sea. Ukraine carried out an airstrike in Feodosia, Russian-occupied Crimea, early on Tuesday (December 26).
The Russian Defense Ministry said a Ukrainian aircraft hit a large landing craft carrying Novocherkask guided missiles.
This information is known in a BBC report.
Earlier, the head of the Ukrainian Air Force claimed to destroy the ship in a warplane attack.
One person was killed in the attack, according to Sergei Aksyonov, head of the Russian establishment in Crimea. Several others were reportedly injured.
Six buildings were damaged in the attack and a small number of people had to be moved to temporary housing centers, Aksyonov said.
The port's transport operations are operating as normal after the area was cordoned off, the BBC reported. The fire caused by the attack is under control.
Ukrainian Air Force Commander Lt. Gen. Mykola Oleshchuk shared footage showing a massive explosion at the port.
The images have not been independently verified. A December 24 satellite image shows a ship in the port of Feodosia that appears to be the same length as the Novocherkassk - a landing craft designed to carry troops, weapons and cargo ashore.
Significant damage to the ship would be good news for Ukraine. Declining Western support at this time will now affect its front-line operations. The ship was most likely loaded with troops, equipment, or both.
Patrick Bury, a security and defense expert and former NATO analyst, told the BBC News Channel that the ship was carrying Iranian-made Shahed drones, which Russia is using to attack targets in Ukraine.
Natalya Humenyuk, head of the press center of Ukraine's Southern Command, told Ukrainian TV that it was clear that such a large explosion was caused only by the ship's fuel or ammunition.
"An attack was carried out in the Feodosia region," said Sergei Aksyonov, the Kremlin-backed head of Crimea. The port area has been cordoned off.
He further said, 'The explosion has stopped and the fire has been brought under control. All necessary services are available at the venue. Residents of several houses will be evacuated.
Meanwhile, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu has claimed to occupy the main city of Marinka in eastern Ukraine. He said his troops had captured "heavily defended" areas just outside the Russian-held regional capital of Donetsk.
Ukraine has been using the city as a defensive barrier since 2014. Marinka came under Russian attack in 2022 when Russia launched a full-scale offensive.