Russian Commander in Crimea Killed in Ukraine Attack: Reports

A Russian commander was reportedly killed in Crimea following a Ukrainian missile strike in the region.

On Monday, the Russian independent outlet Astra said on its Telegram channel that a Russian air defense base located near Mount Ai-Petri in Crimea was hit with "an early morning missile attack" by Ukrainian forces.

"The commander of the military unit was killed," Astra reported. "On the mountain, there is a 'secret' military air defense base of the 3rd radio technical regiment of the Russian Armed Forces."

The outlet identified the Russian military commander as Alexander Kulakov. Another Russian soldier was also killed in the missile strike, and others were injured, it said.

In a post on X, formerly Twitter, Ukrainian military blogger Igor Sushko said, "Several Ukrainian missiles struck a strategic Russian air defense radar base of the military unit 85683 on the Ai-Petri mountain in the south of Crimea. Commander of military unit reportedly killed. Strikes occurred at around 6am on May 13, 2024."

Newsweek reached out to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Russia and Ukraine via email for comment.

Earlier on Monday, Astra reported that Russia carried out several strikes with air-launched bombs on its border Belgorod region, following a new offensive operation on northeastern Ukraine. In the past two and a half months, Russia has mistakenly dropped at least 33 aerial bombs on internationally-recognized Russian territory and Moscow-controlled regions of Ukraine, according to the outlet.

Since Russian President Vladimir Putin launched his "special military operation" in Ukraine in 2022, the United States has continued to show support for Ukraine. Last month, U.S. President Joe Biden signed a foreign aid bill passed in Congress that provides Kyiv with $60.8 billion in aid to fight Russian aggression.

"We rose to the moment, we came together, and we got it done...Now we need to move fast, and we are," Biden said at the White House last month after signing the bill.

Russian Ambassador to the U.S. Anatoly Antonov responded to Biden signing the foreign aid bill while speaking to Newsweek last month.

"America has chosen the path of war and agonizing delays of the inevitable collapse of the Zelensky regime," Antonov told Newsweek. "With their decision, local politicians are actually deciding the fate of an entire country, which is being used as a 'battering ram' against Russia."

The ambassador also accused Biden of launching "an all-out hybrid war against" Russia.

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