Ukraine hints it hit Russian missiles in occupied Crimea

A statement by the Ukrainian military agency said multiple cruise missiles being carried by train in the occupied and illegally annexed Ukrainian Crimean Peninsula were destroyed by an explosion

Ukraine's military intelligence agency reported what appeared to be a brazen attack late on March 20 on Russian cruise missiles being transported by train in the occupied and illegally annexed Ukrainian Crimean Peninsula.

The region's Russian-appointed Governor reported an incident in the area of the same Crimean town, Dzhankoi in the northern part of the peninsula, though he did not mention cruise missiles as an attack target.

None of the reports could be independently verified.

A vague statement by the Ukrainian military agency, posted on its website, said multiple Kalibr cruise missiles were destroyed by an explosion, without explicitly saying Ukraine was responsible or what weapon had been used. It said the missiles were being carried by rail and were destined for submarine launch.

The agency implied the Kyiv government was responsible by saying the explosion destroying the missiles continues “the process of Russia’s demilitarisation and prepares the Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea for de-occupation”.

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In a pre-cursor to last year's full invasion of Ukraine, Russia in 2014 seized Crimea, and then annexed the peninsula in a move that many countries condemned as illegal. Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelenskyy has vowed to re-capture all the Ukrainian land Russia now occupies, including Crimea.