Moment Ukrainian commandos storm Crimea on jet-skis in audacious raid in the middle of the night – before deadly firefight with Russian invaders that sees casualties on both sides
- Drone footage showed a fleet of water-borne vessels creeping towards Crimea
- Ukrainian forces landed on captured territory in the middle of the night
- The elite soldiers then got into a deadly firefight with Russian soldiers
This is the moment Ukrainian commandos stormed Crimea on jet-skis and boats in the middle of the night in an audacious raid on the Russian-held peninsula.
Drone footage showed a fleet of water-borne vessels creeping across the Black Sea towards Crimea, which was seized by Russia in 2014, from the port town of Vylkove.
The video appears to have been taken at the end of the 222-mile long journey, undertaken in the middle of the night by 16 special forces soldiers.
The soldiers were then seen waving a Ukrainian flag upon arriving on the shores of Crimea.
Ukraine said that upon landing, special forces ‘inflicted fire damage of Moscow’s occupiers’, adding: ‘Crimea will be Ukrainian! Glory to Ukraine.’
Andriy Yusov, Kyiv’s military intelligence spokesman said that while ‘there were many dead and wounded among [Russian] personnel’, he admitted that Ukraine’s forces also suffered heavy losses.
The video appears to have been taken at the end of the 220-mile long journey, undertaken in the middle of the night
![Drone footage showed a fleet of water-borne vessels creeping across the Black Sea towards Crimea](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/10/04/16/76165401-12593675-image-a-63_1696432643031.jpg)
Drone footage showed a fleet of water-borne vessels creeping across the Black Sea towards Crimea
![The mission saw 16 frogmen creep across the Black Sea to reach Crimea](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/10/04/16/76165403-12593675-image-a-65_1696432655139.jpg)
The mission saw 16 frogmen creep across the Black Sea to reach Crimea
![The soldiers were then seen waving a Ukrainian flag upon arriving on the shores of Crimea](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/10/04/16/76165399-12593675-image-a-66_1696432658267.jpg)
The soldiers were then seen waving a Ukrainian flag upon arriving on the shores of Crimea
‘Unfortunately, there are losses among the Ukrainian defenders, which are still not comparable to the Russian ones,’ he said.
‘A special operation aimed at de-occupying Crimea continues.
‘We appeal to all residents of the peninsula to wait and assist the Defence Forces in every possible way in the return of Ukrainian territories.’
Russian media outlets claimed that 13 Ukrainians had been killed.
‘There were no injuries or deaths on the part of the [Russian] border service officers,’ said the report, which stated war planes had been used against the Ukrainians.
An FSB spokesperson said that they managed to capture 46-year-old Ukrainian soldier Alexander Lyubos.
He was filmed with his hands tied behind his back, and stated he was a private from Unit 0336 of the Chief Directorate of the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine.
Under interrogation from his captors, he said the mission’s aim had been to plant a Ukrainian flag on Crimea.
![Ukrainian soldier Alexander Lyubos (pictured) was reportedly captured by Russian forces](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/10/04/16/76165391-12593675-image-a-73_1696432874750.jpg)
Ukrainian soldier Alexander Lyubos (pictured) was reportedly captured by Russian forces
![He was asked about his rank and which unit he served under](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/10/04/16/76165395-12593675-image-m-71_1696432695429.jpg)
He was asked about his rank and which unit he served under
Russian media tried to claim that this was a highly decorated colonel, Oleksandr Lobas, 51, but later admitted that it was not him.
The footage comes days after Ukraine sent a previous jet-ski mission to Crimea, the first time Ukrainian soldiers have set foot on the peninsula since 2014.
Ten jet skis were used to transport 20 Ukrainian frogmen on a 265-mile round trip across a treacherous, storm-tossed stretch of the Black Sea.
The mission, which took place in late August but was publicly discussed for the first time earlier this week, saw the elite soldiers getting into a firefight with Russian troops outside a ‘control centre.’
During the initial battle, which lasted around 30 minutes, the group were able to cause significant damage to the main building and three military vehicles.
After the initial bout of damage, a retreat order was called, and all 20 frogmen boarded their jet-skis and were chased by Russian aircraft for four hours.
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