Russia announced that it successfully thwarted a coordinated Ukrainian assault on Crimea early Sunday, with additional drone attacks targeting Moscow, resulting in disruptions to the capital’s air traffic and a fire breaking out at an oil depot in the southwestern region of Russia.
In recent days, Ukraine has initiated a series of strikes on Russian military installations in occupied Crimea, including facilities belonging to the Russian Navy’s Black Sea Fleet.
These actions are aimed at undermining Moscow’s war efforts in this pivotal region.
Moreover, attacks originating from deep within Russian territory, far from the front lines, have been on the rise. Moscow’s mayor confirmed the downing of at least two drones in the vicinity of the capital on Sunday.
It is important to note that Reuters could not independently verify the reports of these events, and as of now, there has been no immediate response from Kyiv.
In a recent opinion piece, Oleksiy Danilov, the Secretary of Ukraine’s Security Council, urged Ukraine’s allies to expedite the delivery of weapons, emphasizing that this is the only way to bring an end to the ongoing conflict.
He specifically mentioned that crippling or partially eliminating the Russian Black Sea Fleet, which he believes is feasible, could significantly expedite Russia’s search for a resolution to the conflict.
According to Russia’s defense ministry, its air defense systems successfully intercepted at least six drones heading towards Crimea from various directions.
The reports did not confirm whether any damage or casualties occurred on the Crimean peninsula, which Russia annexed from Kyiv in 2014, an action widely condemned worldwide, eight years before Russia’s full-scale invasion.
In the Moscow region, one drone was neutralized over the Istra district and another over the Ramensky district, as confirmed by Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin. Fortunately, there were no casualties or damage resulting from drone debris.
Nevertheless, approximately 30 flights were delayed and six were canceled at major Moscow airports, a standard precautionary measure during drone strikes.
In southwestern Russia, a Ukrainian drone caused damage to an oil depot early Sunday, igniting a fire at a fuel tank that was eventually extinguished, according to the regional governor.
Thankfully, there were no casualties, and emergency services promptly responded to the situation.
Additional drone incidents occurred in Russia’s Voronezh and Tula regions, but, fortunately, these did not result in casualties or significant damage to infrastructure.
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