Physical Address
304 North Cardinal St.
Dorchester Center, MA 02124
Recent Drone Attack on Crimea Repelled by Russian Forces
The Russian defence ministry has announced that its air defence forces successfully countered a large-scale drone attack on the Crimean Peninsula, which was annexed by Moscow from Ukraine in 2014. This comes as Crimea has become the target of increased attacks from Kyiv following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
According to the Russian Ministry of Defence, nine drones were shot down, while 33 others were “suppressed by electronic warfare and crashed without reaching the target.” The ministry did not provide details on any damage or casualties resulting from the attack. In addition, the Russian forces also intercepted a Ukrainian-launched missile over the Kaluga region, bordering Moscow.
Mikhail Razvozhayev, the Moscow-appointed governor of Sevastopol, reported through the Telegram messaging app that several drones were destroyed over the Khersones promontory. However, it remains unclear whether these drones were part of the 42 reported by the defence ministry.
In response to the attack, Razvozhayev stated that all forces and services in Crimea are in a state of combat readiness. This comes after President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine declared in a conference that Crimea would be “de-occupied like all other parts of Ukraine that are unfortunately still under the occupier.”
As tensions continue to rise, Ukraine claimed that its forces had landed on the peninsula and raised the country’s flag in a “special operation” to commemorate Independence Day. The special forces troops reportedly engaged in combat near the towns of Olenivka and Mayak, on Crimea’s western shore, according to Ukraine’s GUR intelligence agency.
Meanwhile, Moscow has accused Ukraine of attacking the Russian-built bridge connecting Crimea to Russia, which serves as a vital supply route for the Russian military. The bridge has faced multiple incidents, including an explosion in July, leading to its closure.
Despite Ukraine’s efforts and claims, Russia has shown no signs of relinquishing control over Crimea. Moscow has been using the peninsula as a strategic launching point for missile attacks on Ukrainian targets. It is worth noting that Russia gained control of Crimea through a controversial referendum conducted amid the presence of Russian forces nine years ago. Ukraine and the international community do not recognize Russia’s jurisdiction over the peninsula.