Russian forces 'panic' as NATO source claims 'Ukraine will retake Crimea'

EXCLUSIVE: Following a particularly devastating strike in Crimea by Ukraine's forces, "panic is spreading" among Russian authorities on the peninsula with Kyiv's victory all but assured.

By Matthew Dooley, World News Editor

Moment a missile strikes a Russian HQ in Crimea

Russian leadership in is panicking following Ukraine’s precision strike on Black Sea headquarters, a former Ukrainian parliamentary advisor told Daily Express US.

Mykola Volkivskyi claimed that the strike - which says killed 34 Russian officers - had sent shockwaves through Russia-backed leadership in .

Referring to the Ukrainian operation, he said: “[] cannot disclose all the details of the special operation called ‘Crab Trap’ that took place in Sevastopol, but it is clear that at the time of the attack, the were holding a meeting of the Russian Navy's senior staff at this headquarters.

He said the information was passed to Ukraine’s Air Force which carried out the apparently successful attack - shows a direct hit by a UK-Franco Storm Shadow missile which leveled part of the structure.

Mr Volkivskyi added: “Panic is now spreading among the occupation authorities in Sevastopol. There is an emergency search for shelters and basements.”

Russian authorities in Crimea are panicking, according to an analyst.

Russian authorities in Crimea are panicking, according to an analyst. (Image: GETTY)

Reports by sources on social media suggested a lack of operational shelters in the city which is well within range of Ukrainian bombs.

In addition, the success of the operation appears to have inspired confidence among Western military thinkers.

Mr Volkivskyi said: “During a personal conversation with the former commander of NATO's forces in Europe, I received information that the de-occupation of is only a matter of time. Ukraine, with the support of its allies, will confidently move in this direction.”

Russia illegally annexed in 2014 after the Peninsula was invaded by Vladimir Putin’s so-called little green men.

Video from the strike shows a Storm Shadow missile impact directly at Russia's Black Sea fleet HQ.

Video from the strike shows a Storm Shadow missile impact directly at Russia's Black Sea fleet HQ. (Image: TWITTER)

However, Ukraine’s President has vowed to retake the territory and Kyiv’s military has upped strikes in the region.

In addition to the devastating attack on Black Sea fleet headquarters, Sevastopol’s dry dock was damaged in a strike that also crippled a .

In addition, pet project, the Kerch Strait Bridge, has been targeted numerous times by Ukraine and was severely damaged by what is believed to have been a truck bomb last year.

Now, Ukraine’s systematic targeting of Russia’s air defences in the region appears to have opened up the sky for more Ukrainian strikes.

Kyiv’s forces are likely to continue to put pressure on the peninsula while attempting elsewhere in the country to achieve a major breakthrough in a hard-fought counteroffensive which, if successful, could cut the land bridge to created by Russia’s invasion.

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