Ukrainian military lands briefly in Crimea as part of a special operation

Ukrainian Special Operations land briefly and battle Russian troops on the beaches of Crimea? to raise a flag symbolically? was it because they supposedly found and destroyed a Russian missile defense system? As it seems

What was the purpose? Recon? Launch a drone? an extraction or insertion of an intelligence asset? misdirection? hard to believe you risk troops just to plant a flag on Independence Day?

thoughts ATS?

kyivindependent.com...

Ukrainian forces landed on Russian-occupied Crimea and raised the Ukrainian flag this morning as part of an operation with the Navy, Ukraine's Military Intelligence (HUR) said on Aug. 24.

Ukrainian intelligence reported that special watercraft landed on the Crimean coast at the beach near Maiak, a village on the northwestern tip of Crimea, and engaged in combat.

Maiak is less than five kilometers from Olenivka, where Ukraine was reported to have destroyed a Russian missile defense system on Aug. 23.

Intelligence spokesperson Andriy Yusov told Ukrainian media that he could not release detailed information on the operation, but that it "had the characteristics of a raid."

Yusov said that the Ukrainian forces had already returned from the operation and that they had not suffered any losses. There were losses among Russian personnel, he added.

Krym. Realii, the Crimean media project of the Ukrainian branch of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, reported explosions at 5 a.m. local time at Maiak.

A radar base and radio engineering troop base for the Russian Aerospace Forces, the air and space branch of the Russian military, are located near Maiak.

Ukrainian intelligence said that the Russian proxy administration in Crimea has told local residents the explosions were due to the scheduled detonation of munitions.

The choice to conduct the operation and raise the Ukrainian flag on Crimea in the early hours of Aug. 24 is notable as it is Ukraine's 32nd Independence Day. Crimea has been occupied by Russia since 2014.

hromadske.ua...

The Ukrainian military landed in Crimea as part of a special operation. What is known?

Markiyan Klymkovetskyi, photo
Markiyan Klymkovetskyi
August 24, 2023 10:45
On the morning of August 24, a battle took place in the temporarily annexed Crimea with the participation of watercraft and aviation. The Ukrainian military made a landing as part of a special operation.
The information in the hromadske comment was confirmed by the representative of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine Andriy Yusov.

"The units of the GUR of the Ministry of Defense have carried out a landing as part of a special operation, all tasks have been completed ," he noted.

Separately, in a comment to Suspilnyi, Yusov noted that the special operation was carried out in cooperation with the navy, the goal was achieved, and there were no casualties among personnel. According to him, the special operation continues, he does not reveal all the details of the GUR.

"There are losses among the personnel of the enemy, as well as among forces and means. Information on the number of losses is being clarified ," the intelligence representative summarized.

twitter.com...

In the morning, a battle took place in the Crimea with the participation of watercraft and aviation, the representative of the HUR Andriy Yusov confirmed to us.

"The units of the GUR of the Ministry of Defense carried out a landing as part of a special operation, all tasks have been completed," he noted.

We will tell you what details are currently known

Sounds like they did a bit of this too

a reply to: putnam6

What was the purpose? Recon? Launch a drone? an extraction or insertion of an intelligence asset? misdirection? hard to believe you risk troops just to plant a flag on Independence Day?

PR stunt without any real military significance. The Monty Python gif seems very fitting though. I have a suspicion this might be an attempt at fulfilling a clause for unlocking further funds and/or weapons for Ukraine or more likely a reward for a very limited number of the Ukrainian leadership.

just to say,

originally posted by: BernnieJGato
just to say,

Respectfully that's poor use of troops when you are at a numbers disadvantage, not saying this wasn't a side perk, but the main objective? Is Ukriaine that down moral wise they have to risk troops planting a flag?

Was it to impress Blumenthal, Graham, and Warren?

Give me something militarily related, otherwise, it's a Doolittle Raid, which was done as a desperate moral booster, but had no military value.

Just having a hard time buying that as the reason alone

a reply to: putnam6

actually it's a sign that they can and just might start specops missions in and around russian controlled territory that russia other than bombs blowing up bridges thought was all but secure. forcing them to put more resources in or concentrating forces already there in certain areas and drawing them away from what might be the true target.

a reply to: putnam6

in the early hours of Aug. 24 is notable as it is Ukraine's 32nd Independence Day.

Asserting independence with the help of foreign mercs from NATO countries, on a (9 year-old) patch of Russian soil.

originally posted by: BernnieJGato
a reply to: putnam6

actually it's a sign that they can and just might start specops missions in and around russian controlled territory that russia other than bombs blowing up bridges thought was all but secure. forcing them to put more resources in or concentrating forces there in certain areas and drawing them away from what might be the true target.

Actually, misdirection is mentioned in the OP, just not a fan of telegraphing your capabilities or showing your opponent a potential weak spot.

Could be they had more in the plan but spun it as all objectives were completed as a spin for they met resistance immediately.

If I were Russia I would spin this as Zelensky's Bay of Pigs, however after reading further it's possible this was an extraction as they took out the air defense system much earlier, Perhaps the landing was a diversion to let potential special forces saboteurs escape, It just sounds like the landing and flag-planting came much later. Perhaps that air defense system was critical

Hell, I'm hoping they were all over the place painting targets. I know soldiers in the field can point lasers so aircraft can locate a target, makes me wonder couldn't a clandestine operation allow the set up of passive targeting for other areas.

originally posted by: putnam6

thoughts ATS?

Yeah Ukraine is getting it's @$$ kicked and they play these kabuki theater games for western stooges to try and maintain the little support they have left. Surely with enough trolling the Russian military will just give up and leave...

Right?

Anyone still urging Ukraine to continue down this path is a f'ing moron. I see people celebrate these insignificant victories that mean nothing. Meanwhile ignoring 400,000 dead Ukranian soldiers, and Ignoring billions of tax payers dollars wasted.

I see the low key Russian hate on this site. It's no different than the hate people had/have for Trump supporters. You'd think conservatives would at least be intelligent enough to avoid the same trap liberals fell for. If you all really wanna call out the people responsible for this look no further than the war pigs in the pentagon.

Blaming the person who said this was coming seems awfully intellectually dishonest don't you think? Perhaps we should blame all responsible parties instead of cherry picking our criticisms.

originally posted by: BernnieJGato
a reply to: putnam6

actually it's a sign that they can and just might start specops missions in and around russian controlled territory that russia other than bombs blowing up bridges thought was all but secure. forcing them to put more resources in or concentrating forces already there in certain areas and drawing them away from what might be the true target.

Exactly. A sky news report this morning said it's probably to draw Russian forces from the east who are successfully forcing their way towards Kharkov

a reply to: JAY1980

Yeah Ukraine is getting it's @$$ kicked.

Of course Russia is winning. That's why the war has been going on now for 18 months, instead of the 10 days that Russia originally planned.

a reply to: putnam6

wouldn't be surprised if the radar base and radio engineering troop base mentioned in the article gets hit or used for miss direction for another site closer to the mainland. taking out radar sites would make it easier for drones and missile attacks or USV's / sea drones attacks. although radar isn't real good for picking up small vessels, it is possible and if they use swarms.

Classic psychological warfare.

a reply to: tamusan

i was also thinking could be starting harassment raids, consistent or intermittent would wear them down psychically and mentally. never knowing when or where the next would come from.

originally posted by: ufoorbhunter

originally posted by: BernnieJGato
a reply to: putnam6

actually it's a sign that they can and just might start specops missions in and around russian controlled territory that russia other than bombs blowing up bridges thought was all but secure. forcing them to put more resources in or concentrating forces already there in certain areas and drawing them away from what might be the true target.

Exactly. A sky news report this morning said it's probably to draw Russian forces from the east who are successfully forcing their way towards Kharkov

For perspective, Kharkiv is 362 miles from the landing spot in Crimea, How is it Russia couldn't find troops from its naval base in Sevastopol and has to draw them away from forces 300 miles away, makes no sense.

a reply to: alldaylong

the 10 days that Russia originally planned

You mixed up some western propaganda points I think. Russia never claimed they would be done in 10 days. However:

Former US commanding general of the United States Army Europe, Lieutenant General Ben Hodges said on Monday that Russians are about 10 days away from reaching the “culminating point” . Once they reach there, the US commander said, the Russian troops will be "forced to stop their assault on Ukraine due to a lack of resources".

According to Lt Gen Hodges, “Russians are about 10 days away from what is called the culminating point, when they just no longer have the ammunition nor the manpower to keep up their assault.”

Russia about 10 days away from exhausting ammo, manpower: Former US Commander

That statement is from mid March 2022 and really didn't age well but hey I hear the Ghost of Kyiv is to singlehandedly win this conflict 🤡🙄

a reply to: MindBodySpiritComplex

You obviously where asleep and missed this.

Captured Russian documents reveal Moscow's 10-day plan to take over the country and kill its leaders.

rusi.org...

a reply to: putnam6

Good point Putnam the distance is a long way. The analyst pointed out that Crimea is actually a massive area to defend. He said at the moment it is only lightly defended, to ensure no infiltration then part of the offensive force headed towards Kharkov might be needed and redeployed to Crimea.

Doesn’t matter what the original plan is or was. Russia is not losing this war.

a reply to: alldaylong

originally posted by: cookadafood
Doesn’t matter what the original plan is or was. Russia is not losing this war.

a reply to: alldaylong

Russia holds less Ukranian territory now than it did 12 months ago.

If that is your definition of Russia winning, then i am all for it.

a reply to: alldaylong

Ah yes, it must be true!

According to the British Army-linked think tank

link

/sarcasm