Review and Database of Ukrainian Attacks on the Occupied Crimea, Russian Ships and Facilities on the Black Sea Coast in January-March 2024

The Monitoring Group of BlackSeaNews and the Black Sea Institute of Strategic Studies

The Monitoring Group of the Black Sea Institute of Strategic Studies and BlackSeaNews, based on the results of its own monitoring, presents a database of attacks by Ukrainian drones and missiles on the territory of occupied Crimea, Russian ships in the Black Sea and objects on the Black Sea coast in January-March 2024.*

*Note that:
1) the actual number may be much higher;
2) the reliability of Russian data on the attack results is always deliberately downplayed.
Abbreviations: UAV — unmanned aerial vehicle, USV – unmanned surface vehicle, MORF – Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation.

In January-March 2024, i.e. over 91 days, the Ukrainian Defense Forces carried out at least 37 attacks on targets in the Crimean Peninsula and the Russian Black Sea Fleet, or 1 every 3 days, including:

Among those:

• in Sevastopol — at least 10 attacks, or 27% of the total at least 5 attacks on Russian Navy ships in the Black and Azov Seas, or 13.5%
• in Yevpatoria, Saky, Chornomorsk and Razdolnensky districts (Western Crimea) — at least 10 attacks, or 27%
• in Dzhankoy district — at least 2 attacks, or 5.4%
• in Feodosia region — at least 2 attacks, or 5.4%
• on the Black Sea coast of the Russian Federation — at least 3 attacks, or 8%

Number of attacks by month in 2024: January — 12, February — 14 and March — 11.

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Attacks by Ukrainian drones and missiles on the territory of occupied Crimea, Russian ships and Black Sea coastal objects in January-March 2024 (monitoring by the BSISS/BSN Monitoring Group):

January 2024

1. 02.01.2024 - likely, a missile strike on the Belbek airfield, Sevastopol (to be verified). According to the Fruktove and Verkhniosadove villages residents in the Belbek airfield area, around midnight, several powerful explosions occurred, accompanied by flashes and fire at the airfield. In the afternoon, the Sevastopol occupation authorities reported «downing a missile over the Black Sea.»

2. 04.01.2024 — a combined missile and drone strike on Novofedorivka, Chervona Hirka area, Saky district, Yevpatoria. On 04.01.2024, the siting of missiles and a series of explosions in the western areas of the TOT of the AR of Crimea were reported by local residents. The missiles allegedly hit an air defense unit near the village of Uyutnoe, Saky district. After 22.00, there were additional reports on UAV attacks by residents of Saki, Yevpatoria, Dzhankoy, Novofedorivka and Vilino. The Armed Forces of Ukraine have officially confirmed the destruction of ammunition depots near the villages of Pervomaiske and Grishino, and air defense positions at the Saki airfield.

3. 04.01.2024 - a Storm Shadow/SCALP missile strike on Sevastopol. As a result, the command post of the 31st Air Defense Division of the Southern Military District in Sevastopol in Yukharina Balka has been destroyed.
   According to available information, the missile(s) hit the entrance to the buried command center, collapsing the underground tunnels, and likely causing the structure to be unusable. The strike killed several dozen Russian soldiers, including officers (to be verified). The death of Colonel Vadim Ismagilov, commander of the 3rd Radio Regiment of the 4th Army of the VKS and Air Defense of the Russian Armed Forces, was confirmed, with burial taking place on January 11, 2024 in Chelyabinsk, Russia. The Russian Defense Ministry reported the loss of 23 servicemen.

4. 04.01.2024 - An attack by an unidentified UAV in Novorossiysk, Krasnodar Krai, RF, (information to be verified).
   Late in the evening, local residents reported the sounds of Russian air defense and the fall of debris near house # 5 on Boris Pupko Street, near the Novorossiysk Bay. MORF reported the downing of an unidentified UAV over the Krasnodar region.

5. 05.01.2024 - A combined missile and drone strike at Black Sea waters, Sevastopol (information to be verified). MORF reported that at about 12.30, a Neptune and 5 unspecified type UAVs were destroyed over the northwestern part of the Black Sea.

6. 06.01.2024 - A missile strike with the Neptune surface-to-air missile system — Black Sea, Yevpatoria and Novofedorivka village, Yevpatoria district, TOT of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea. At night, local residents reported a series of explosions and air defense activity in the Yevpatoria area and Novofedorivka. According to official sources in the Ukrainian Armed Forces, the Ukrainian Air Force hit the command center of the 43rd Fighter Aviation Regiment at the Saki airfield in Novofedorivka. The Russian Defense Ministry reported repelling two missile attacks totaling up to 16 missiles. 

7. 14.01.2024 - The destruction of an A-50 airborne surveillance aircraft, and damage to an Il-22 repeater aircraft, likely with a Patriot air defense system — the airspace of the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions — near Strilkove and over the Sea of Azov, adjacent Kyrylivka, respectively. The General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces confirmed the aircraft destruction.

8. 21.01.2024 - Attempted missile attack (to be verified). on the Krasnohvardiyskiy district, Sevastopol, TOT of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea. According to local residents, around noon, air defense activity was recorded in Krasnogvardeyskiy and Saky districts — up to 11 launches and explosions in total. MORF reported the downing of 3 unspecified type missiles over the Black Sea and of at least one object near Sevastopol. 

9. 24.01.2024 - A UAV attack — Black Sea, Tuapse, Krasnodar Territory, Russia. According to the available data, around midnight, up to 3 UAVs, likely of the Beaver type, were spotted near the Tuapse, several of which hit a local oil refinery, causing a fire on an about 200 square meters area. For reference: The Tuapse Refinery is the only refinery located on the Black Sea coast, one of the ten largest in Russia and processes up to 12 million tons of raw materials annually. It operates primarily for export and is part of Rosneft.

10. 30.01.2024 - A combined missile and drone strike on Razdolnensky district, TOT AR of Crimea, that resulted in the destruction of a radar station covering the surface situation for the Russian Armed Forces.

11. 30.01.2024 - A UAV attack on the Belbek airfield, Sevastopol. On January 30, local residents reported air defense activity and the sound of explosions in the Belbek airfield area. In turn, MORF reported the destruction of 11 unidentified UAVs.

12. 31.01.2024 - A missile — Storm Shadow type — attack on Hvardiyske village, Sevastopol, TOT AR Crimea. Two missiles reportedly hit the control center, with one missile hitting the communication center of the 38th Fighter Aviation Regiment (military unit 80159, Belbek airfield). According to Russian sources, three aircraft — two Su-27s and one Su-30 — and 10-12 servicemen of the Russian Armed Forces were destroyed at the Belbek airfield (to be verified). Near Hvardiyske, the missiles hit a special forces unit training camp, reportedly killing 9 soldiers, wounding up to 10, and destroying several pieces of special equipment (to be verified).

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February 2024

1. 01.02.2024 - A USV attack — Lake Donuzlav, Black Sea resulting in missile boat of the 1241.1 Molniya type Ivanovets destroyed. According to a report released by the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine, the Russian ship was attacked by six MAGURA V5 maritime drones. 

2. 05.02.2024 - (date to be verified). Special operation Citadel by the 73rd MD SPBG Group of the Special Forces of Ukraine — northwestern part of the Black Sea. The goal was to destroy military equipment set up at one of the Ukrainian drilling platforms seized by the Russians. According to available data, the operation resulted in the damage/destruction of the platform equipment that had increased the range and radius of the Iran-made reconnaissance UAVs such as Mohajer-6 and Shahed 131/136 strike UAVs, as well as the Neva-B surface surveillance radar station, used by the Russians to monitor the situation in the northwestern part of the Black Sea. 

3. 09.02.2024 - A UAV attack on the Ilya and Afipsk refineries, Black Sea waters, the Krasnodar Krai (Russia). The strike damaged the primary oil refining unit at the Ilya refinery. There was also an explosion at the Afipsk refinery that didn’t significantly affect production.

4. 09.02.2024 - A USV attack — southwestern part of the Black Sea. The MORF reported that at about 20.30 Moscow time, a patrol boat of the Russian Black Sea Fleet detected and destroyed a Ukrainian Navy USV headed towards Crimea. There has been no confirmation from the Ukrainian side. 

5. 11.02.2024 - A likely UAV attack — Chornomorsky district, TOT AR Crimea. At about 17:00, local residents of Vnukovo and Krasnaya Polyana reported a powerful explosion and subsequent fire. The area of the explosion was patrolled by a Russian military helicopter (information to be further clarified).

6. 13.02.2024 - A fire at the Saki airfield (Novofedorivka village), TOT Crimea. Local residents reported a massive fire at the Saki airfield near the parking lot of Russian Armed Forces military equipment, a radar site, and a command post that had already been subjected to a missile attack on January 06, 2024. Satellite images released on February 19, 2024 showed traces of the fire over an area of up to 3 hectares.

7. 14.02.2024 - A USV attack — Black Sea off the Alupka coast. As a result, large amphibious assault ship (LAS) project 775 Tsezar Kunikov destroyed. The amphibious assault ship project 775 Caesar Kunikov of the Russian Black Sea Fleet was attacked by five Magura V5 USVs, received critical damage on the port side and sank after a powerful explosion 4 km off the Alupka shore. According to available data, the Caesar Kunikov was carrying weapons and ammunition.

8. 14.02.2024 - A UAV attack — airspace over the Black Sea. The MORF reported the destruction of six Ukrainian UAVs over the Black Sea at night (to be verified).

9. 16.02.2024 - A UAV attack — airspace over the Black Sea. The MORF reported the destruction of four Ukrainian UAVs over the Black Sea at night (to be verified).

10. 23.02.2024 - A fire of unknown origin near a former airfield — Kerch Peninsula, TOT AR of Crimea. At about 3 a.m., local residents reported a fire near the villages of Chistopillya and Bagerovo, the latter — a former military airfield whose runway has been dismantled and isn’t used for the intended purpose. No additional information available.

11. 23.02.2024 - An A-50U airborne surveillance aircraft destroyed over the eastern part of the Sea of Azov. At about 19.00, an A-50U long-range radar detection and control aircraft was shot down over the Sea of Azov. That was the second long-range radar aircraft destroyed over the Sea of Azov since the beginning of the year, with the first A-50 destroyed on January 14, 2024.

12. 25 .02.2024 - A likely UAV attack — northern and western districts, Sevastopol, TOT AR of Crimea. According to the available data, in the morning, a powerful fire recorded in the Saki district, with its center located between the villages of Soldatske, Shalashi and Zimino. The object and causes of the fire remain unknown. After 5 p.m., the attack was replicated in different parts of Crimea. A powerful explosion occurred in Dzhankoy, two explosions — in the Nyzhnyohirsky district, a series of explosions — in the Yevpatoria and Saksky districts (Suvorovskoye and Lymanoye villages); air defense systems were detected operating from Kirovsky airfield and near Sevastopol (Balaklava), with tactical aircraft involved and the Kerch bridge simultaneously closed. The MORF reported 4 Ukrainian UAVs and 2 cruise missiles destroyed over the Black Sea at night. The Ukrainian side did not confirm.

13. 29.02.2024 - A likely UAV attack — Simferopol district, TOT Crimea. Local residents of the Simferopol and Krasnogvardeisky districts reported a powerful explosion and the operation of air defense systems at 15.41 from the Maryino village area near Simferopol. The MORF reported the downing of a Ukrainian airplane-type UAV over Crimea at 15.45 Moscow time.

14. 29.02.2024 - A fire on a boat of the Coast Guard of the FSB Border Service — Sea of Azov. The Defence Intelligence of Ukraine released a radio interception about a fire on a Russian FSB Coast Guard boat in the Sea of Azov. According to available data, the superstructure and the wheelhouse were damaged, while five crew members injured. The cause of the fire and further details are unknown.

March 2024

1. 01.03.2024. A missile attack on the military airfield in the village of Hvardiyske, TOT of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea (ARC). Local residents reported air defense systems operation in Yevpatoria and Saky districts. According to the available data, at around 16:00, two missiles — probably of the Storm Shadow/SCALP-EG type — hit and damaged the airfield infrastructure, injuring Russian servicemen. The airfield in Hvardiyske is home to tactical aircraft of the Russian Aerospace Forces actively used to launch strikes against the southern regions of Ukraine. Previously, the airbase had been attacked in August 2022 and March and August 2023.

2. 01.03.2024. Russian air defense system operation in the temporarily occupied city of Sevastopol. According to available data, during the day, residents of Sevastopol heard about five explosions, including in the city centre. An air raid alarm was announced in Sevastopol, the Sevastopol Bay masked by aerosol masking and power supply to certain city areas cut off. At the same time, to counter possible missile attack, in the area of the so-called Crimean Bridge, traffic was stopped and aerosol camouflage used. Crimean occupation authorities reported shooting down 10 air targets.

3. 03.03.2024. A massive UAV attack on Feodosia, TOT ARC. According to available data, at around 1:00, several UAVs attacked the Feodosia oil depot, resulting in several explosions and a fire extinguished only after 2 hours. The strike damaged an oil product tank and the main pipeline. The UAV debris or most likely, an air defense missile, made a crater about 5 m in diameter and 4 m deep at the 89th km of Tavrida highway near Feodosia, leading to lane closure for at least a day. Local residents reported a fire near the Feodosia embankment. To counter a possible missile attack, measures were also taken in the area of the so-called Crimean Bridge. MORF reported all 38 drones shot down over Crimea. The attack on the Feodosia oil depot was the third in six months after the November and December 2023 strikes.

4. 05.03.2024. A multiple Magura V5-type USV attack on Cape Takil, the Kerch Strait area, TOT ARC. Between midnight and morning, at least five unspecified powerful explosions were heard in the Kerch area. Later, the Main Directorate of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine (GUR) reported the destruction of the project 22160 patrol ship Serhiy Kotov with the Magura V5-type USV. According to information that requires further clarification, an unknown type helicopter deployed on the ship at the time was also destroyed. The ship costing about $65 million with a regular crew of up to 80 had been launched in 2021, commissioned to the Russian Black Sea Fleet (BSF) in July 2022 and took an active part in the seizure of Mariupol. During the attack, the Crimean Bridge was closed to trains, cars and ships for at least nine hours — from 11pm on March 4 until the following morning.

5. 11.03.2024. Karantynnyi Island area (Dnipro River), Kherson region. An air strike by the Ukrainian Air Force (UAF) destroyed the Russian-flagged vessel Mechanic Pogodin (IMO: 9598397, owned by VEB Leasing, St. Petersburg, Russia). According to available information, the Russians used the vessel as an observation post and a UAV control/launch point. The vessel (tanker) was arrested by Ukraine in 2018 as a sanctions regime violator. Until summer 2023, it was stationed in the Kherson seaport, but after on June 6, 2023, the Russians blew up Kakhovka hydroelectric power station, the tanker washed up on the shore of Karantynnyi Island, where it was destroyed.

6. 18.03.2024. A UAV attack on Sevastopol. Local residents reported two powerful explosions in the evening. To counter possible missile attack, traffic was stopped and aerosol camouflage used in the Crimean Bridge area. MORF reported the destruction of a Ukrainian UAV over Crimea.

7. 19.03.2024. A UAV attack near Armyansk, TOT ARC. As a result of the afternoon drone attack, an S-400 Triumph air defense system launcher was damaged near Armyansk, killing three and wounding two Russian soldiers.

8. 21.03.2024. A UAV attack on TOT ARC. MORF reported that around 15:00, air defense forces had destroyed three Ukrainian UAVs over Crimea. The information needs to be confirmed.

9. 23.03.2024. A massive missile strike on the BSF main special communications center and airbase in the temporarily occupied city of Sevastopol. In the evening of March 23, a missile attack, likely by Storm Shadow/SCALP-EG missiles, was launched against Russian military facilities in Sevastopol, including the command, control and communications points. Several powerful explosions occurred in the central part of the city itself, including on the territory of the former headquarters of the Ukrainian Navy at 1 Solovyova Street where the BSF Information and Computer Communications Center is located, in the Kozacha Bay and Cape Fiolent area. There is also evidence of an unidentified explosion in the Nizhnegorsk district of the ARC. According to information that needs to be verified, tactical aircraft at the Belbek airfield in Sevastopol were also damaged, and the permanent duty station of the BSF 810th Separate Marine Brigade hit. The occupation authorities of Crimea reported 10 downed missiles.

10. 24.03.2024. Massive missile attack on the BSF ships and military infrastructure in the temporarily occupied Sevastopol. According to available information that requires further verification, two Russian project 775 large amphibious assault ships, Yamal and Azov, stationed at the 13th BSF Shipyard in Sevastopol, were hit. The medium-sized project 18280 reconnaissance ship Ivan Khurs and Ukrainian project 775 large amphibious assault ship Konstantin Olshansky that the Russians were trying to restore, were also likely damaged.

11. 24.03.2024. A UAV strike on Hvardiyske village, Simferopol district, TOT ARC. Around 5:00, four explosions occurred in Simferopol region, with three more in the city suburbs. Local residents reported that twenty minutes later, a smoke column was seen in the Hvardiyske village area. According to available information, three oil tanks and a military warehouse caught fire as a result of a UAV hitting the oil depot. The local occupation authorities were forced to organize the evacuation of civilians.

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For reference: From January to December 2023, i.e., over 365 days, the Ukrainian Defense Forces carried out at least 184 attacks on targets in Crimean peninsula and Russian Black Sea Fleet, averaging one every other day.
Among those:

• Sevastopol – at least 45 attacks, or 25%
• BSF ships at sea – at least 26 attacks, or 12%
• Yevpatoria, Saky, Chornomorsk and Rozdolnensky districts (Western Crimea) – at least 33 attacks, or 18%
• Dzhankoy region - at least 21 attacks, or 11,5%
• Feodosia region – at least 15 attacks, or 6,5%
• Kerch Bridge – at least 4 attacks.

Full database of attacks by Ukrainian drones and missiles on the territory of occupied Crimea and Russian ships in the Black Sea in January-December 2023 can be found here.

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This article has been prepared with the support of the European Union in Ukraine. The content of the article is the sole responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily reflect the position of the EU