What's happened
Ukraine targeted the headquarters of Russia's Black Sea Fleet in a missile strike, causing casualties and damage to the building.
Why it matters
The missile strike on the Russian Navy headquarters in Crimea is significant as it escalates the ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia, and highlights the intensifying tensions in the region.
What the papers say
The Ukrainian Special Operations Forces claimed that the strike resulted in casualties among the Russian navy officers, while the Russian defense ministry initially reported one servicemember missing. The Ukrainian military has been increasingly targeting naval facilities in Crimea, aiming to degrade Russian morale and weaken its military. The attack on the headquarters of Russia's Black Sea Fleet is a significant development in the conflict between Ukraine and Russia.
How we got here
The conflict between Ukraine and Russia began almost 19 months ago when Russia ordered a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Crimea, which was annexed by Russia in 2014, has been a frequent target of Ukrainian attacks. The recent missile strike on the Russian Navy headquarters in Crimea is part of Ukraine's ongoing counteroffensive in the region.
More on these topics
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Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a transcontinental country located in Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. Covering an area of 17,125,200 square kilometres, it is the largest country in the world by area, spanning more than one-eighth of the Earth's in
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Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the second-largest country in Europe after Russia, which it borders to the east and north-east.
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Crimea is a peninsula located on the northern coast of the Black Sea in Eastern Europe that is almost completely surrounded by both the Black Sea and the smaller Sea of Azov to the northeast. The status of Crimea is disputed.
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Sevastopol is the largest city in Crimea and a major port on the Black Sea. Since the annexation of Crimea in 2014, Sevastopol has been administered as a federal city of the Russian Federation.
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Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin is a Russian politician and former intelligence officer who has served as President of Russia since 2012, previously holding the position from 1999 until 2008.
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The Moscow Times is an English-language online-only newspaper based in Moscow. It was in print from 1992 until 2017, with a peak circulation of 55,000.