Ukrainian forces have regained control of oil and gas drilling rigs off the northwestern coast of Crimea, Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence Service (GUR) announced on Monday. During the operation, Ukrainian special forces were attacked by a Russian Su-30 fighter jet, which they managed to damage, forcing it to withdraw.
The platforms, known as the Boiko Towers, were controlled by Russia after Moscow illegally annexed the Crimean peninsula in 2014.
The intelligence service led by General Kirilo Budanov says the towers were used by the Russians as helicopter landing sites and for deploying radar equipment.
“A unique operation to establish control over the Boiko towers was carried out by the defense intelligence units,” announced GUR, which also published a video recording of the mission, writes News.ro, citing CNN.
“During the operation, the special forces managed to capture valuable trophies: a stock of ammunition for UAM (unguided aircraft missiles) helicopters, as well as the Neva radar, which can track the movement of ships in the Black Sea,” stated GUR.
“During one of the phases of the operation, a battle took place between Ukrainian special forces on boats and a Russian Su-30 fighter jet. As a result of the battle, the Russian aircraft was hit and was forced to retreat”, claims GUR.
Russia has announced several times in recent weeks that it destroyed Ukrainian boats with soldiers on board, which were looking for a landing in Crimea.
GUR announced on August 24, on the Independence Day of Ukraine, that it had succeeded in such an operation, raising the Ukrainian flag on Crimean soil.
Observing clashes over control of the two towers since last month, the British Ministry of Defense estimated that they could serve as “outposts for the deployment of forces, platforms for helicopters and locations for the placement of long-range missile systems”.
Editor: Bogdan Păcurar
