Ukrainian Armed Forces have not confirmed elimination of Russian General Tatarenko in Belbek airbase attack
The Ukrainian Armed Forces have not confirmed reports that Russian General Alexander Tatarenko was killed in a strike on the Belbek airbase in occupied Crimea, according to a statement from Southern Defense Forces spokesperson Natalia Humeniuk on national television on Feb. 4.
The strike had a significant impact on Russian operations, she said.
Read also: Explosions rock Crimea for second day, proximity to Yevpatoriya raises concerns
"It is not for nothing that they themselves are trying to continue to put pressure on their troops and their population, especially in the hybrid field,” Humeniuk said.
“They were the ones who spread information about the death of the lieutenant general, but our sources do not confirm this."
The Russian military leadership is trying to provoke the so-called "revenge".
"Once again, they justify their terrorist actions,” according to Humeniuk.
“Because we have done nothing to take revenge for, they are simply waging a terrorist war against us.”
Read also: Azov Sea is now ‘cleaner’ of Russian aviation following downing of A-50 AWACS – Ukrainian Air Force
The command post destruction affects air control in general, but the enemy is trying to pretend that nothing has changed.
"Despite the risks of using aviation in our area of responsibility, drawing conclusions from the loss of three fighter-bombers, an AWACS plane, a command-and-control aircraft, and now such a powerful blow to the base, they are trying to resume bombing, including with guided bombs."
Earlier, Russian social media wrote that the strike on the Belbek airbase killed 10 military personnel, including Lieutenant General Alexander Tatarenko.
Strike on Crimea on Jan. 31: What is known
An air raid alert was declared in temporarily occupied Crimea on Jan. 31 as explosions were heard. The occupiers claimed the explosions were from air defense systems.
Russia’s Defense Ministry claimed, without evidence, to have destroyed 17 Ukrainian missiles over the Black Sea, and three more over occupied Crimea. Missile fragments allegedly fell on the territory of a military unit near Lyubymivka in Crimea.
Read also: ‘Five rockets found their way home’: Russia seems to confirm successful attack on occupied Crimea
Crimea’s Belbek Airfield was hit in the evening, with Air Force Commander Mykola Oleshchuk sharing a video of smoke and a powerful explosion. He expressed gratitude to those involved in “clearing Crimea from Russian presence.”
Simultaneously, the Crimean Wind monitoring channel verified that the Ukrainian Armed Forces targeted the Belbek airfield and disclosed the impact point on the Russian airfield.
Belbek military airfield’s communication post in temporarily occupied Sevastopol was attacked, Russian Telegram channel ASTRA reported on Feb. 1.
Russian military facilities in the temporarily occupied Crimea were hit by five missiles that day, Humeniuk said.
Read also: Ukrainian missile sets Russian military communication center in Crimea on fire after direct hit
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