Shafaq News/ Ukraine's GUR military intelligence agency announced a drone attack on a Russian military base within annexed Crimea. While Russia claimed to have successfully thwarted the attack, reports from residents indicate a different scenario.
The attack reportedly targeted Russia's 126th Coastal Defence Brigade stationed in Perevalnoye, over 200 kilometers from Ukraine-controlled territory. According to GUR spokesman Andriy Yusov, the strike hit its intended target.
Residents in Perevalnoye took to the Telegram messaging app to share their accounts, describing hearing explosions emanating from the military base and suggesting the presence of casualties. However, these reports remain unverified by independent sources.
Russia swiftly reported that all 42 Ukrainian drones involved in the attack were intercepted and downed by its air defense systems before they could inflict damage. Crimea, annexed by Moscow in 2014, has been a focal point of tensions between the two nations.
The United States supported Ukrainian attacks on Russian military targets in Crimea, advocating for the demilitarization of the Black Sea peninsula.
Ukraine's military intelligence chief, Kyrylo Budanov, underscored the attack's significance, encouraging people to believe in the eventual liberation of Crimea.
As details continue to emerge, questions remain about the nature and impact of the attack, adding to the complexity of the ongoing conflict.
On Friday, Russia's defense ministry declared that its air defense forces successfully intercepted and neutralized a significant drone assault launched by Ukraine targeting the Crimean Peninsula, a territory annexed by Moscow from Ukraine in 2014.
Amid heightened tensions, Kyiv has consistently focused on Crimea since Moscow initiated a comprehensive military intervention in Ukraine in February 2022. However, the past few weeks have witnessed an escalation in the frequency and intensity of these attacks.
The Russian Ministry of Defence reported that its air defense units effectively downed nine drones during the early hours of Friday. Additionally, electronic warfare capabilities were deployed, leading to the suppression and subsequent crash of 33 other drones before they could reach their targets.
Details regarding potential damage or casualties resulting from the thwarted attack remain undisclosed by Russian authorities. The ministry also disclosed that it successfully intercepted a missile launched by Ukraine over the Kaluga region, situated along the border of the Moscow region.