Moscow says 19 Ukrainian drones shot down over Crimea, Black Sea and Russia | Russia-Ukraine War

The Russian Defense Ministry has not released information regarding possible casualties or damage during the latest air raid.

Russian air defense systems destroyed a wave of 19 Ukrainian drones launched overnight to attack targets in Russia’s annexed Crimean Peninsula, the surrounding Black Sea and other regions of Russia.

The Russian Defense Ministry said Thursday morning that it had “thwarted” attacks by Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).

“On the night of September 20-21, an attempt by the Kiev regime to carry out a terrorist attack with deadly drones on sites in the Russian Federation was intercepted,” the Defense Ministry said on the messaging application Telegram.

“Air defense systems destroyed 19 Ukrainian drones over the Black Sea and the territory of the Republic of Crimea, as well as one over the territories of the Kursk, Belgorod and Orel regions,” the ministry said .

The Russian regions of Belgorod and Kursk border eastern Ukraine, while Oryol is closer to the capital, Moscow. The Defense Ministry provided no details on casualties or possible damage.

Kiev has promised to reconquer the Black Sea peninsula and Ukrainian forces have launched increasingly frequent air attacks against targets in Crimea, which was seized and annexed by Russia in 2014.

Russian naval targets in the Black Sea have also been hit, including by surface maritime drone attacks launched by kyiv.

On Wednesday, the Ukrainian military announced that its forces had successfully struck a command post of the Russian Black Sea Fleet near Sevastopol, Crimea.

Ukrainian media reported that loud explosions were heard in Crimea, including in the area of ​​Belbek and Kacha military airfields. Both are located north of Sevastopol.

Crimean authorities downplayed the incident and said the Ukrainian attacks were successfully repelled.

Oleg Kryuchkov, advisor to Russia-appointed Crimean governor Sergey Aksyonov, said on Telegram: “We ask all Crimeans to remain calm.

“If you hear the noise of a drone or air defense systems, move away from the windows… If you find the wreckage of a drone shot down by air defense or landed by electronic warfare, please contact the special services or telephone helplines.”

Ukraine’s ability to launch long-range attacks against targets in Crimea, the Black Sea and Russia has been seen by military analysts as evidence of Kiev’s growing offensive sophistication.

Phillips O’Brien, professor of strategic studies at the University of St Andrews in Scotland, said a recent Ukrainian attack on the Russian Black Sea Fleet at Sevastopol demonstrated Kiev’s ability to launch complex attacks at using missiles and drones.

“This type of operation is one of the reasons why I remain convinced that Ukraine will win the war: it has the capacity to execute complex operations at a much higher level than the Russians,” O’ said Brien earlier this week.