Russian aerial defence systems shut down a wave of 19 Ukrainian drones that were launched overnight in attacks against targets in the Russia-annexed Crimean peninsula, the surrounding Black Sea and other regions of Russia.
This was made public by the Russian defence ministry early on Thursday stating that it had “thwarted” the attacks by Ukraine’s aircraft-type unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).
“In the night from 20th to 21st September, an attempt by the Kyiv regime to commit a terrorist attack with lethal drones on sites in the Russian Federation was intercepted,” the defence ministry said on the Telegram messaging app.
“Air defence systems destroyed 19 Ukrainian UAVs over the Black Sea and the territory of the Republic of Crimea, and one each over the territories of Kursk, Belgorod and Oryol regions,” the ministry said.
The Belgorod and Kursk regions of Russia border eastern Ukraine, while Oryol is closer to the capital, Moscow. The defence ministry provided no details on casualties or possible damage.
Kyiv has pledged to recapture the Black Sea peninsula and Ukrainian forces have launched aerial attacks with increasing frequency on targets in Crimea, which was seized and annexed by Russia in 2014.
