CNN
Satellite images exclusively obtained by CNN show three destroyed Russian jets and damaged buildings at Belbek airbase in occupied port city of Sevastopol on Wednesday.
The hardware losses come after two days of attacks by the Ukrainians on Sevastopol in Crimea, which was illegally annexed by Russia in 2014.
In images taken by US satellite imaging company BlackSky and space technology firm Maxar, two jets can be seen burned out on the main flight line at Belbek, in addition to a third parked on a protective embankment. The satellite images also show a destroyed building nearby and another which has taken significant damage.
Mikhail Razvozhaev, the Russian-appointed governor of Sevastopol, said on Telegram Friday that the Russians “successfully repelled a massive enemy attack on Sevastopol.” Razvozhaev said “dozens” of unmanned aerial vehicles and “more than five sea drones were destroyed.” The city suffered a partial power outage due to drone debris falling on a power substation, he added.
The attack is the second time Belbek was targeted by the Ukrainians in the last 48 hours.
When questioned about a possible Ukrainian strike on Belbek, Dmytro Pletenchuk, the spokesperson for the Ukrainian army’s South, said on Thursday, “We cannot announce any details at this time because there is no verified information at this time.” CNN has reached out to the Ukrainian military for an update.
