The attack on the port of Feodosia in Crimea was widely advertised as a victory in Ukraine. To distract public attention from a new mobilisation bill, Ukraine struck a Russian warship in Crimea. This 'accomplishment' can later be used as a motive to send hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians to the front to die.
On the morning of December 26, the Armed Forces of Ukraine struck the Novocherkassk large landing ship in the port of Feodosia. The Russian Ministry of Defence said that the ship was damaged. According to the department, Ukraine used aircraft guided missiles to strike the ship. Russian air defence systems destroyed two Ukrainian Sukhoi Su-24 aircraft that launched the missiles.
It is believed that Ukraine used UK's Storm Shadow cruise missiles, military blogger Yuri Podolyaka said on Telegram.
"The UAV raid, which was carried out a little earlier, was supposed to "discharge" air defence launchers. It worked," he wrote.
It is worthy of note that the Moskva cruiser, a flagship of the Russian Black Sea Fleet, sank as a result of the attack that Ukraine conducted on April 14, 2022. Russia decided not to expose any information related to the attack on the ship.
This time, however, the Russian Ministry of Defense responded two hours after Ukraine's Air Force reported the attack on the port of Feodosia. This is a very quick reaction that indicates positive changes in the work of the ministry, Podolyaka believes.
Political scientist Sergei Markov pointed out on Telegram that "there will be no further details coming” about the missile attack on the port of Feodosia because one does not expose any details during hostilities. Yet, Russia needs to improve air defences in Crimea to deprive the Armed Forces of Ukraine of opportunities to attack Russia.
It was not Ukraine, but the UK that that actually carried out the attack as it was the UK (and the USA) that provided the missiles, personnel and satellite guidance support for the strike, Markov also noted. "This is a war that the UK is waging against Russia at the hands of the Ukrainian proxy army. The UK will continue this war, because Russia does not respond to Britain,” Markov said.
The missile strike on the port of Feodosia happened at the time when all of Ukraine was discussing a new mobilisation bill. The Ukrainian authorities plan to declare another wave of large-scale mobilisation when people will be called up via electronic accounts, by e-mail and other electronic means. The bill also stipulates severe penalties for non-compliance: withdrawal of passports, social benefits, driver's licenses, bank cards, let alone fines and prison terms.
To interrupt the negative agenda and unwanted thoughts, the Ukrainian Armed Forces hit the port of Feodosia to be able to collect more cannon fodder and send it to war to die.
Valeriy Zaluzhny, the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, refuted the words that President Zelensky said about the number of citizens that would be subject to additional mobilisation.
On December 19, Zelensky said during a press conference that the General Staff and the Commander-in-Chief suggested mobilising another 500,000 people.
According to Zaluzhny, the Armed Forces of Ukraine did not make any request for mobilisation indicating a specific number of citizens.
The same day, the Ukrainian Cabinet of Ministers submitted a new bill on mobilisation to the Parliament. According to the document, it is proposed to eliminate conscription service as such and make all conscripts reservists. It is also proposed to abolish the category of limited suitability for military service. All those already recognised as limitedly fit for military service will be required to undergo a medical examination again.