VLADIMIR Putin has been left red-faced after Ukraine released dramatic footage of a daring dead-of-night raid in Crimea.

Heartstopping footage shows special op commandos storming the illegally annexed peninsula on a fleet of jet skis and boats.

The clip shows the troops making the 222-mile journey across the Black Sea from Vylkove before a bloody gun-fight erupts.

Despite releasing footage of the latest incursion, commander Viktor Torkotiuk said other raids in Crimea would remain secret.

A statement said: “The reconnaissance men of the Artan Special Forces unit of the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine landed on the western coast of the peninsula, as well as on Tendra and Kinburn Spits.

“The Special Forces men engaged in a fierce battle with the Russian invaders in the occupied territories, inflicting significant losses on the enemy.”

But Ukraine admitted it also suffered losses, and Russia posted footage showing a captured Ukrainian – who gave his name as Alexander Lyubos, 46, as he was filmed by the FSB security service.

With his hands tied behind his back, he stated on a TV channel run by the Russian Defence Ministry that he was a private from Unit 0336 of the Chief Directorate of the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine.

Under interrogation from his captors, he said the mission’s aim had been to plant a Ukrainian flag in Crimea.

The captive said the 16-man mission comprising one boat and five jet-skis from Vylkove, on the Danube estuary, to reach Crimea. 

Artan commander Torkotiuk indicated other sabotage missions are underway which are not being revealed and “will become known only later”.

He said: “This is not the first and not the last operation of the Security and Defence Forces of Ukraine on the Crimean peninsula.

“Most of them will become known only later. 

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“This is a systematic, planned and coordinated work of all units involved.

“The enemy will feel the consequences of our work for a long time. 

“By our actions, we constantly remind the Russian invaders of the inevitability of liberation of all occupied territories.”

The Ukrainians held up their blue and yellow flag in the sea off Crimea. 

Russia hit back at the footage claiming it showed “some kind of incomprehensible circus with night walks on the sea, shooting into nowhere, screams and epic music”.

The Putin-appointed head of Crimea, Sergei Aksyonov, claimed a body in a wet suit had been found with two bullet wounds.

He had “died in a shootout with Russian border guards”.

“I think that more such bodies will be found in the near future,” Aksyonov said.

Ukraine has been battling to take back Crimea throughout Putin’s invasion – but attacks have intensified as Kyiv vows to recapture the peninsula, which Moscow annexed in 2014.

Last month, Ukraine launched an unprecedented missile strike on the naval headquarters on the peninsula.

Moscow said the attack left one Russian serviceman missing – while Kyiv claimed the strike killed thirty-four officers including the fleet commander, Viktor Sokolov.