A Russian headquarters in Crimea has been set on fire.
The attacks against Russian targets have been stepped up and grain ships can now leave Ukraine again.
– It almost seems that Russia is losing its iron grip over the Black Sea, says Johan Fredriksson, on site in Odessa.
On Friday, Ukraine attacked the headquarters of the Russian Black Sea Fleet in occupied Crimea. The symbol-laden building is on fire, military sources on both sides report, and Ukraine says British and French cruise missiles were used in the attack.
Firefighters from several stations are said to have been called in to put out the flames and a stream of ambulances are said to have been called to the scene. However, according to local authorities, no one was injured.
– This is not just a building, it is an administrative heart and it is clear that if you bomb a headquarters in this way, the Russian occupying power loses a number of functions, says Johan Fredriksson, TV4 Nyheterna foreign reporter on the ground in Odessa.
– In addition, it is a huge loss of prestige that Ukraine once again scored one of the main goals in Crimea, he continues.
Escalated attacks
Russia has occupied Crimea since 2014 and carries out a large part of its missile attacks against Ukraine from boats operating from there.
Ukraine has recently stepped up its attacks on the occupied peninsula.
– It almost seems that Russia is losing its iron grip over the Black Sea. Ukraine has knocked out several air defense systems in Crimea and Ukraine has knocked out two important ships, says Johan Fredriksson, who believes that the latest attacks have had an effect.
– Ukraine has succeeded in establishing some type of preliminary corridor with ships along the coast which means that, despite Russia’s threat to bomb, they have created a protected zone in the westernmost part of the Black Sea where Russia no longer dares.
Grain on the way
Earlier in the day it was announced that the ship Aroyat is now on its way with 17,600 tons of wheat to Africa.
It is the first grain ship of this size to depart from the port of Chornomorsk along a new corridor through the Black Sea, writes Deputy Prime Minister Oleksandr Kubrakov on X (formerly Twitter).
At the same time, Russia continues to bomb targets in Ukraine. On Friday evening, AFP reports that one person has died and at least 15 have been injured after an attack on the city of Krementjuk, in the central parts of the country.