Ukraine’s daring jet-ski raid into Russian-occupied Crimea with a deadly sea-crossing and a night-time assault in an operation even the SAS stated was mission inconceivable

A lone soldier stands at his machine gun, silhouetted in opposition to the celebrities on the helm of a small vessel that seems to be hurtling relentlessly throughout the waves.

Seconds later, we see footage of a Ukrainian flag being hooked up to the partitions of a single-storey picket constructing. Working through torchlight, a gaggle of breathless males whisper directions, earlier than posing for a short memento {photograph}.

The 45-second movie was shot earlier than daybreak on August 24, Ukraine’s independence day, and launched to the media by the nation’s defence ministry.

In an announcement, they claimed it confirmed their troopers setting foot in occupied Crimea for the primary time in virtually a decade, following its 2014 annexation by Russia.

‘Our state flag flew once more within the Ukrainian Crimea,’ the ministry claimed after a ‘particular operation’ by which troops had ‘engaged in fight’, destroying worthwhile army gear and killing a number of enemy personnel.

‘Our state flag flew once more within the Ukrainian Crimea,’ the ministry claimed after a ‘particular operation’

Six weeks later, the exceptional story behind this intriguing propaganda movie can lastly be informed.

It concerned one of the vital daring commando raids in fashionable historical past, with ten jet skis used to move 20 Ukrainian frogmen on a 265-mile spherical journey throughout a treacherous, storm-tossed stretch of the Black Sea.

Points of the caper recall the glory days of the SAS, whose behind-enemy-lines operations in World Battle II impressed the current BBC hit Rogue Heroes. Components additionally resemble the plot of a Bond film. Certainly, Ian Fleming’s novel Thunderball was impressed by the exploits of Royal Navy diver Lionel ‘Buster’ Crabb.

The August mission seems to have been co-ordinated by a battalion commander named solely as Borghese, who informed how his males struck earlier than daybreak, pitching up on a seashore someplace close to the village of Olenivka, on Crimea’s western tip, shortly earlier than 5am.

Shifting in silence, they then crept inland in the direction of a Russian base whereas 5 Ukrainian assist ships sped alongside the northern aspect of the peninsula, firing machine weapons and rockets at enemy positions in an effort to create a diversion.

Their authentic plan had been to put explosives across the facility, an digital warfare station containing radar gear and different important equipment, earlier than detonating them as soon as they’d safely departed.

However round 200 yards from the goal, one of many Ukrainian group was noticed, forcing them as a substitute to participate in a chaotic firefight by which they needed to deploy anti-tank weapons and rocket- propelled grenades.

‘We needed to seize the management centre, plant explosives and blow it up, however as a result of there was a battle occurring we could not strategy quietly,’ Borghese informed the Instances newspaper, including that they subsequently ‘determined merely to destroy the management centre from a distance with anti-tank weapons, injury the antennae and withdraw’.

In the course of the preliminary battle, which lasted round half-hour, the group have been in a position to trigger vital injury to the primary constructing and three army automobiles.

Ukraine stated the operation had succeeded in destroying worthwhile army gear and killing a number of Russian personnel

In the course of the battle, which lasted round half-hour, the group have been in a position to trigger vital injury to the primary constructing and three army automobiles

The unit landed at a seashore someplace close to the village of Olenivka, on Crimea’s western tip, shortly earlier than 5am

At that time, the group’s chief, named as Levan, gave the order to withdraw. Ten minutes later, they have been in a position to rendezvous on the seashore and board their jet skis. It is unclear whether or not footage of the Ukrainian flag being raised was taken seconds earlier than they left or earlier within the mission earlier than their cowl had been blown.

Both means, getting all 20 males safely house was simpler stated than accomplished. In any case, they have been by now being focused by the mixed would possibly of the Russian navy and air drive.

The enemy initially dispatched 4 high-speed Raptor patrol boats to pursue the jet skis. Nonetheless, they swiftly got here throughout a Ukrainian naval vessel that was purported to be serving to with the evacuation. It circled and sped again to the mainland, with all 4 Raptors in scorching pursuit.

That left the jet skis alone. However there was a second drawback: not solely did every machine must be refuelled twice in the course of the mission — since they’ve solely a restricted vary — they have been additionally extremely weak to air assaults.

Thankfully for Levan’s group, the 5 Ukrainian assist ships that had created an preliminary diversion returned to the fray and commenced firing Stinger anti-aircraft missiles, which repeatedly compelled the enemy to disengage.

‘The Russian plane have been over us for 4 hours, possibly extra as a result of they have been rotating,’ Levan informed the Instances. ‘There have been a sure variety of enemy plane that will enter the realm, circle, hit totally different factors, then flip round. It was like that for 4 to 5 hours continuous.’

Luck held for the Ukrainians till daybreak, at which level the climate lent a serving to hand. ‘Our guys are very trustworthy and the entire operation went like a miracle,’ stated Borghese. ‘There have been clouds at daybreak, so enemy aviation and their drones could not work effectively. After we have been midway house, the solar got here out and we had good climate.’

All 20 males have been subsequently in a position to escape unhurt. Had the mission taken place a lot earlier, or later, they could have been much less lucky, he added. ‘An hour after the fellows stepped ashore a hurricane started which confirms, as at all times, that God is with us.’

Amongst these stated to have been shocked by the audacious raid’s success are British SAS troops and intelligence officers who’re believed to be working on the bottom in Ukraine, serving to prepare the nation’s forces and aiding with planning and technique.

The destiny of Crimea is more and more seen as strategically essential

Ukraine’s allies are stated to have initially suggested in opposition to the jet ski raid, believing that the machines have been more likely to battle with the gap they might be required to journey

The truth that Western allies have been proved improper was not solely a big PR coup for Ukraine, however has helped open a brand new and probably essential entrance within the battle

In response to Levan, allies initially suggested in opposition to the jet ski raid, believing that the machines have been more likely to battle with the gap they might be required to journey. Throughout a month of coaching, they have been solely in a position to take a look at the craft on journeys as much as 87 miles, weighing each gram of kit to extend their gasoline economic system.

‘At sea, they know and perceive rather a lot, however even for our British companions this seemed like an virtually inconceivable job,’ Levan stated. ‘Neither the Individuals nor the Brits gave us a lot probability of success.’

The truth that Western allies have been proved improper was not solely a big PR coup for Ukraine, however has helped open a brand new and probably essential entrance within the battle. A fortnight later, follow-up assaults on the Crimean port of Sevastopol noticed British-made Storm Shadow missiles hit dry docks which Russia makes use of to keep up its Black Sea fleet, forcing the ability out of motion for months and destroying the Russian submarine Rostov-on-Don and the touchdown ship Minsk.

The following day, at Yevpatoriya, on the west of the peninsula, missiles struck an air defence set up, with footage of the ensuing fireball doing the rounds on social media.

And simply over every week in the past, Russia’s Black Sea Fleet command headquarters was focused, with Ukraine claiming to have killed dozens of senior officers.

Such developments matter as a result of the destiny of Crimea is more and more seen as strategically essential in figuring out the long-term end result of the battle.

At current, the peninsula offers a base from which Russia can mount persistent air assaults on Ukrainian positions on the mainland. Halting these assaults would make it considerably tougher for occupying troops to defend their entrance strains.

Importantly, Ukraine final week unveiled a 20 ft lengthy underwater kamikaze drone known as Marichka. The newly-designed torpedo, which carries 450 kg of explosives, is about for use to focus on the £3 billion Kerch Bridge, which Vladimir Putin had constructed following the annexation to permit items and army {hardware} to circulate between Russia and Crimea.

Its existence has allowed Russians to spend years turning the area right into a fortress, protected by six air bases in addition to a fleet of patrol boats, plus an intensive community of mines and submarine nets.

However as we now know, that is not sufficient to cease a gaggle of Ukrainian commandos in possession of very quick jet skis and an terrible lot of derring-do.