Zelenskyy says Ukrainian intelligence reports Russia moving ships to Caspian Sea

By Burc Eruygur

ISTANBUL (AA) - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Thursday that intelligence reports indicated Russia is moving ships in the Black Sea to the Caspian Sea.

“According to intelligence reports, after our actions in the Black Sea, Russia is moving ships, in particular carriers of ‘Kalibr’ missiles, to the Caspian Sea,” Zelenskyy said on Telegram after a briefing from military officials.

He said the meeting included a report by Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi on the situation on the front line with Russia and Ukraine’s strike on an airfield in the Crimean Peninsula, which Moscow illegally annexed in 2014.

Zelenskyy said the military is awaiting final data on the strike but is already clear that Russia suffered “painful losses” from it.

He said in an evening address Wednesday that the armed forces carried out a “correct strike” on a Russian airfield in the town of Dzhankoi.

R​​​​​​​ussian authorities have yet to comment on Zelenskyy’s statements about the ships or strike.

Russian authorities have yet to comment on Zelenskyy’s statement, though Russian-installed officials said the movement of vehicles along one of the sections of the highway near the Dzhankoi airbase in northern Crimea was temporarily restricted.

Zelenskyy said he also listened to reports on the receipt of equipment and ammunition from Ukraine’s partners during the briefing, adding that domestic production is growing, with the defense industry set to produce 10 Bohdana howitzers in April for the first time.