Russian commander killed in missile strike on secret Crimean base
The occupiers confirmed the death of Russian commander Aleksander Kulakov, who was killed in an attack on a "secret" military base in occupied Crimea. On Friday, the head of the city administration of Alushta, Galina Ogneva, wrote that Kulakov "heroically died as a result of a missile attack on Crimea." The base was attacked on May 13.
4:29 AM EDT, May 18, 2024
On Monday, May 13, around 6 AM Eastern Time, several Ukrainian missiles—most likely Storm Shadow missiles—hit the Russian air defense base on Mount Ai-Petri.
Secret Russian base in Crimea
On the attacked mountain are located the South Bank radars—the most famous military facility in Greater Yalta. After the peninsula was occupied by Russia, a Ukrainian radio battalion was stationed there, equipped with Soviet radar complexes Oborona, Altai, and Granitsa-M, as well as the Ukrainian 36DS-6.
The radar base on Mount Ai-Petri was established during Soviet times. In 2014, the Russians took it over from the Ukrainians. Its distinctive appearance—the radars are housed under domes—attracted the attention of tourists.
Moscow pretends the attack didn't happen
The base (number 85683) houses the 3rd Radio-Technical Regiment of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. Several facilities were damaged as a result of the missile attack. Moreover, the unit's commander, Aleksander Kulakov, and another soldier were killed.
On Friday, the head of the occupation authorities of the city of Alushta wrote that Kulakov "heroically died as a result of a missile attack on Crimea." On the same day, the general was buried.
The Russian authorities did not officially report the attack on this military unit. At the same time, the Russian Ministry of Defense confirmed the missile attack on May 13, claiming that four Storm Shadow missiles and seven drones were shot down over Crimea. Kyiv did not claim responsibility for this attack.
Many pieces of information provided by Russian state media or Kremlin officials are likely not authentic. Such reports may be part of the Russian Federation's information war.
