According to information published by Tass on June 21, 2022, Ukrainian forces delivered three strikes at Russian oil platforms in the Black Sea north of Crimea and 70 km from Odesa. There were 109 people on the three platforms.
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Harpoon missile launching by the Singapore Navy's Formidable-class frigate Tenacious. (Picture source: RSN)
At least five were wounded, 21 were evacuated and the rest are searched for. The platforms belong to Chernomorneftegas Company and fully belong to the government. It operates in the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov and on the Crimean Peninsula.
There has been a lot of speculation about the strikes, which could have come from M30/M31 multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS) or Harpoon anti-ship missiles.
About Harpoon anti-ship missiles
The Harpoon is an all-weather, over-the-horizon, anti-ship missile developed and manufactured by McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing Defense, Space & Security).
The AGM-84E Standoff Land Attack Missile (SLAM) and later AGM-84H/K SLAM-ER (Standoff Land Attack Missile – Expanded Response) are cruise missile variants.
Harpoon is launched by a three-second burn from its solid-fuel booster, after which it is at cruising speed and its air-breathing turbojet sustainer motor takes over.
At launch, the missile is programmed to fly toward a target up to 60 nautical miles away. A radio altimeter keeps the missile just above the wavetops until it nears the target. In the last seconds of flight, the missile closes in on the target using an active radar homer, and its 500-pound warhead explodes within the ship.
