CNN report details intel operation in Crimea, labeling Korchynskyi mastermind behind raid

During the night raid on Crimea in early October, the special forces of the Defense Forces sailed to the Russian-occupied peninsula in large speedboats with a supply of fuel, then transferred to jet skis when they were within reach of land, the commander of a unit from the Bratstvo battalion with the call sign "Muzykant", told CNN, providing insights into the combat mission.

The planning of the operation took "months", the journalist of the American outlet was told.

The penetration into Crimea was carried out by a combined group of Bratstvo, Stuhna and other fighters as part of a special unit of Ukraine's Defense Intelligence.

"Muzykant" was one of 10 "brothers" who participated in the night assault. The total number of special forces operatives involved in the operation is unknown.

"Muzykant" noted the difficulty of approaching Crimea: the sea was stormy, the waves reached two meters, and the zone was patrolled by four enemy boats - "Raptors", each with a crew of 20 soldiers, armed with large-caliber machine guns and a 30 mm cannon.

"[Ukrainian fighters] sailed through rough seas on larger speedboats, before switching to lower profile jet skis when they were in range of the peninsula. They then raced towards the shore, destroyed Russian military equipment placed by the sea and headed back, all in a matter of hours," writes CNN.

According to the soldier, on the way back after completing the task, they were chased by enemy boats. None of the Bratstvo fighters were injured or captured.

Ukrainian military intelligence later admitted losses when Russian forces showed a video of a captured intelligence operative.

For an unknown reason, CNN dubbed the leader of Bratstvo Dmytro Korchynskyi "the key planner the surgical strike" against the Russian military in Crimea, without providing additional details.

Such raids are "not only moral support to our people in Crimea, but also help to our forces in the trenches: we divert the enemy’s attention towards us, and the enemy is forced to relocate their personnel and vehicles to (the) Crimean seaside", the fighter said.