The Russian military reported new actions in the Black Sea, describing strikes on offshore drilling platforms and nearby facilities using Ukrainian weapons, military equipment, and drones. The Russian Defense Ministry provided updates on Tuesday, June 21, about the clashes and the damage assessed in the region.
The ministry stated that Onyx cruise missiles targeted the Shkolny airfield in the Odessa region, hitting hangars that housed Bayraktar-TB2 unmanned aerial vehicles detected by Russian reconnaissance systems. The report claimed a loss of two units of 155-millimeter American M-777 howitzers on Kubansky Island. It also noted that Russian aviation destroyed two S-300 surface-to-air missile launchers in the Ochakov and Tuzla areas of the Odessa region. The report closed with the phrase DEA News, indicating its source for these details.
Operation near Snake Island
Russian officials said Ukraine attempted to strike gas platforms with attack drones after a recent failure to seize Serpents Island. They described a new plan launched around 05:00 on June 20 that aimed for heavy air and artillery assaults followed by a landing and capture of the island.
Reportedly, more than 15 reconnaissance and attack aircraft took part in what Moscow characterized as a complex raid. Russian authorities said two Bayraktar drones were involved and claimed the United States Air Force Global Hawk, identified as a high-altitude strategic reconnaissance aircraft, was operating in the airspace at altitude during the incident.
The cover for the operation, according to the Defense Ministry, came from S-300 anti-aircraft systems positioned in the Tuzla and Ochakov areas. They described the attack on Zmeiny Island as involving Tochka-U ballistic missiles, Uragan multiple-launch rocket systems, and M-777 155 mm howitzers. The ministry asserted that Pantsir and Tor air defense systems neutralized all projectiles fired at Zmeiny Island, with 13 unmanned aerial vehicles, four Tochka-U missiles, and 21 Uragan shells shot down in the air, as reported by the department.
Attacks on drilling platforms
As noted in the days prior, Ukraine carried out three separate assaults on three drilling platforms operated by Chornomorneftegaz in the Odessa field. At the time of the attacks, the towers housed 109 personnel. Local authorities in Crimea later confirmed that not all those on site had been rescued.
Three individuals were wounded and transported to a Simferopol hospital. Crimean leader Sergei Aksyonov indicated that seven more people were unaccounted for and that their families would receive compensation of 6.5 million rubles each. In response, Sergei Tsekov, a member of the Federation Council Committee on International Relations, argued that strikes on drilling rigs have environmental repercussions that extend across the Black Sea and affect neighboring nations. Ukraine urged the international community not to overlook the wider consequences, including the broader sea zone shipping and mine concerns.
Recent United Nations figures show civilian casualties in Ukraine reaching 4,569 killed, with 304 of them children. Injuries total 5,691, including 467 children. The statements reflect ongoing, high-stakes developments in a conflict that continues to draw international attention and affect coastal regions around the Black Sea, including the United States, Canada, and allied partners monitoring the situation for potential impacts on energy infrastructure and regional security.