Satellite images of the Zalyv Shipbuilding Yard in Kerch after Ukrainian missile strikes have been published online.
The Schemes journalists published the satellite images.
Planet Labs’ images, dated November 5, capture the site of the damage at the plant and the Askold small missile ship.
“According to my data, as of November 4, there was only one ship in Kerch at the time of the explosions capable of carrying Kalibr class missiles, namely the Askold. I think that this ship, as we can see, was already at the dock and was being brought up to speed because it was supposed to be delivered in December. You can see that it is still afloat, but the upper part of the ship is noticeably damaged,” Andriy Ryzhenko, a reserve navy captain, commented to Schemes after analyzing the satellite image.
He added that Askold is a Project 2800 Karakurt small missile ship that can carry up to 8 Kalibr cruise missiles.
According to Ryzhenko, the destruction of such a vessel is very important for Ukraine’s security.
It is worth noting that the Schemes satellite images do show significant damage near the vessel, but the blackouts on the deck of the Askold could be either a shadow from the superstructures or damage.
As previously reported, on November 4, a missile attack took place on the shipyard in Kerch, where warships are built for the Russian Navy.
Cruise missiles were used to strike, as evidenced by the videos that eyewitnesses published on social media.
The Russian occupation so-called “authorities” indirectly confirmed the fact of hitting the enterprise but said that the wreckage of a downed Ukrainian missile fell on one of the dry docks.
Later that day, the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation stated that a Ukrainian cruise missile hit a warship in Kerch.
Mykola Oleshchuk, Commander of the Air Force of Ukraine, reported that the Ukrainian tactical aircraft conducted the strike.
“Well done, it’s like using the SCALPel!” the Commander of the Ukrainian Air Force wrote, hinting that the aircraft used a French cruise missile.