Ukraine claims it blew up drilling platform used by Russia in drone attacks

The operation, dubbed Citadel, was conducted at night and resulted in the capture of "important enemy equipment" and the platform being blown up.

 Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy takes a video in front of a road sign with the words "Avdiivka this is Ukraine", amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, December 29, 2023. (photo credit: Ukrainian Presidential Press Service/Handout via REUTERS)
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy takes a video in front of a road sign with the words "Avdiivka this is Ukraine", amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, December 29, 2023.
(photo credit: Ukrainian Presidential Press Service/Handout via REUTERS)

Ukraine said on Tuesday a group of its special forces blew up a drilling platform in the Black Sea that Russia was using to enhance the range of its drones.

In a statement on the Telegram messaging platform, special forces said equipment on the platform was used for drones involved in attacks on Ukraine's critical infrastructure and to control the northwestern part of the sea.

The operation included recovering Russian equipment and damaging the platform

The operation, dubbed Citadel, was conducted at night and resulted in the capture of "important enemy equipment" and the platform being blown up, the statement said.

"A successful special operation ensured safer movement of ships and limited the enemy's capabilities in the northwestern part of the Black Sea," it added.

A showy video published alongside the statement featured troops landing on the platform in the dawn hours, operating inside, and moving away from it while a bright explosion is seen in the background.

 A VIEW OF the Israeli Leviathan gas field gas processing rig near Caesarea. (credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM/THE JERUSALEM POST)
A VIEW OF the Israeli Leviathan gas field gas processing rig near Caesarea. (credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM/THE JERUSALEM POST)

Reuters could not independently verify the information. Moscow did not immediately respond to a request for comment.