The day before, the chief Ukrainian intelligence officer Kirill Budanov promised “the destruction of the occupiers on the peninsula” in the coming days.

On the morning of August 23 - the Day of the State Flag and the opening of the Crimean Platform Summit - the inhabitants of the peninsula reported at least seven explosions in the west of Crimea. Strikes were heard in the area of Cape Tarkhankut, namely near the village of Karaji (Olenovka), where the radar and anti-aircraft systems of the occupiers are located.

Subsequently, the GUR of Ukraine confirmed the operation in the occupied Crimea. The agency reported on the defeat of the Russian anti-aircraft missile system of large and medium range S-400 Triumph. In addition to the complex itself, the personnel of the occupiers suffered from the Ukrainian attack.

At once, several anonymous sources from western Crimea testified to a large number of dead and wounded Russians. Residents of Sak and Bakhchisarai reported about the traffic jam stretching towards Sevastopol.

Sources of Crimean partisans from the Atesh movement report about the overcrowding of the military hospital in Sevastopol. Russian “three hundred” are located in the corridors and canteens of the hospital.

At the same time, no trucks were released from Balaklava and Sevastopol, - the subscribers of the Crimean Wind telegram channel report and suggest that this is connected with a traffic jam on the highway.

Some time later, on the website flightradar24 there was information about the departure from Sevastopol of the special flight detachment “Russia”, which is subordinate to the Office of Presidential Affairs of the Russian Federation and provides transportation of Russian high-ranking officials.

Russian propaganda Telegram channels reported that a few hours before the events at Cape Tarkhancut, 250 km from Crimea, a US Navy Lockheed EP-3E Aries II radio reconnaissance aircraft was spotted.

And in the afternoon, the celebration of the Flag Day moved to the water area of the Snake Island. Ukrainian intelligence reported a strike on a Russian plane in the Black Sea. According to the military, the plane of the occupiers tried to attack the warships of the Security and Defense Forces of Ukraine, but was repulsed.

Meanwhile, the civilians of Crimea also celebrated a state holiday. From different parts of the peninsula, locals send their photos with Ukrainian flags. In particular, from the rock of Shaan-Kaya near Alupka and from Sevastopol.

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