Drilling rigs hit by Ukraine missile strike in Black Sea claims Russia

Ukraine’s Armed Forces have reportedly delivered three missile strikes at Chernomorneftegaz drilling rigs in the Black Sea, according to Crimean leader Sergey Aksyonov on Rossiya-24 television on Monday, June 20.

Commenting on the alleged missile strikes on the drilling rigs, in the Black Sea by Ukraine, Aksyonov stated:

“The first strike was delivered at 8:37 am Moscow time, and in all, there have been three strikes at three natural gas rigs.”

Aksyonov also previously reported that several people had been wounded in a Ukrainian strike at the Black Sea rigs. 

One Twitter user posted alleged video footage of the missile strike stating: “A video of the same tower “Tavrida” of Chernomorneftegaz, on which the Armed Forces of Ukraine launched a missile attack this morning, appeared on the network.”

“As it turned out, the supports could not withstand the explosion, and the tower almost completely collapsed.”

https://twitter.com/Flash43191300/status/1538930124497764352

Credit: Twitter @Flash43191300

Crimea’s state-owned Chernomorneftegaz reportedly produces natural gas and gas condensate, holding a license that permits them to develop the natural gas deposit, according to the Kyiv Independent.

It owns drilling rigs both in Crimea’s Black Sea coast, as well as in the Sea of Azov. The company is a subsidiary of Ukraine’s state-owned oil and gas company Naftogaz.

The drilling rigs were seized in 2014 by Russia following the annexation of Crimea. Ukrainian forces are yet to confirm or claim the attack.

The alleged missile strikes on the drilling rigs follow news of the Ukraine Navy  hitting a Russian ship in the Black Sea, in close proximity to Snake Island, on Friday, June 17.

The Russian ship, a tugboat of the Black Sea Fleet of the Russian Federation “Vasily Bekh” sank, according to the head of the Odesa Regional Military Administration Maksym Marchenko.

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