A Russian service member was killed in an explosion in the Ukrainian port city of Sevastopol on Thursday, according to Russian state-run news agencies RIA Novosti and Tass. The blast occurred on Stoletovsky Avenue, behind a residential area, according to preliminary reports from Telegram channels close to Russian security services, such as Mash and Baza. Witnesses reported that the explosion happened as the victim was climbing a staircase with a friend. The device was reportedly planted in a trash bin near a bench.
Unconfirmed reports from Russian Telegram channels have identified the deceased as Robert Shageev, a former officer in the Ukrainian Navy who defected to Russia in 2014 after Moscow’s annexation of Crimea. Shageev commanded the Ukrainian submarine Zaporizhzhia before his defection and faces treason charges from Ukrainian authorities. The Telegram channel 112 reported that a captain first rank was killed in the blast, but did not name him.
The incident is the latest in a series of explosions and attacks targeting Russian-occupied Crimea. In August 2026, a large-scale Ukrainian drone attack cut electricity across Sevastopol, damaging energy infrastructure and causing a blackout in the city. Earlier in August, Russian-installed authorities in Sevastopol reported a major drone attack, claiming that air defenses shot down over 30 drones and that fires broke out across the city, with particularly intense combat in the Balaklava district.
Sevastopol, the former main base of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet, has experienced repeated power outages since early June 2026, following an escalation of Ukrainian strikes on Crimean energy sites. Ukraine has been engaged in a campaign to isolate occupied Crimea by degrading the fuel, power, and transport networks Russia relies on to maintain control of the peninsula.
In a separate incident on August 4, 2026, a Russian serviceman opened fire near Sevastopol, killing four people, including one Russian soldier and three civilians, and wounding two others. The serviceman was detained, and the motive was under investigation.
On September 22, 2023, the headquarters of the Russian Black Sea Fleet in Sevastopol was attacked by Storm Shadow/SCALP cruise missiles, reportedly supplied by France and the UK. The strike, which Ukraine referred to as Operation Crab Trap, partially destroyed the headquarters building. Ukraine claimed that at least 34 people were killed and 105 injured in the attack, while Russia reported one missing and six injured. This strike was part of a broader pattern of Ukrainian attacks on military infrastructure in Crimea.
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Global Affairs Desk at The Chenab Times covers international developments, global diplomacy, and foreign policy issues through fact-based reporting, explainers, and analytical pieces. The desk focuses on major geopolitical events, diplomatic engagements, and international trends, with an emphasis on verified information, multiple perspectives, and contextual understanding of global affairs.
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