Russia reports one of the biggest Ukrainian drone attacks on its soil and annexed Crimea
Russian air defenses intercepted 660 Ukrainian drones in a massive nighttime attack on 12 Russian regions, as well as the Russian-held Crimean peninsula, the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Friday.
This appears to be one of the largest drone attacks against Russia and the illegally annexed Crimea. Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine more than four years ago. Last year, Ukraine’s biggest attack was carried out with 556 drones on May 17.
In an effort to reverse the tide of Russia’s crushing war of attrition, Ukraine’s long-range drones have been operating for months. hit targetsBehind the front lines and deep inside Russia, including oil production and energy facilities. There is a campaign Russian fuel stocks blocked Western officials and analysts say military deliveries have stalled Russia’s battlefield efforts and increased pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Initial damage reports from Russia following the overnight attack provided insufficient information. Russia’s Defense Ministry generally does not say what was targeted in Ukraine’s drone strikes and does not provide details of any damage.
Successful drone attacks encouraged Ukraine
The massive attack came hours after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he had ordered a “40-day influence operation” in
Successful attacks, including hitting targets Moscow And St.PetersburgThey buoyed Ukraine.
Zelenskyy said he received new promises of foreign support when he attended a recent meeting. G7 leaders summitOthers, including US President Donald Trump, have said the promised aid would help Ukraine step up its efforts to force Putin to the negotiating table.
A. NATO summit Next month could be another key moment in strengthening the Ukrainian military.
A chemical plant was reportedly hit in Russia
Tula Governor Dmitry Milyaev said in an online statement, as reports of the damage caused by the attack began to emerge, that a private house was damaged and a woman was injured in the attack in the Tula region, just south of Moscow.
He also said that a power line and an unspecified industrial facility in the city of Novomoskovsk were damaged.
Russian independent online publication Astra reported that a chemical plant and hydroelectric facility in Novomoskovsk were attacked and set on fire. The Associated Press could not independently verify the report and there was no official confirmation.
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin also reported that 47 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles flying towards the Russian capital were shot down. There were no reports of casualties or damage.
Ukraine announced that 2 civilians died in Russian attacks
Two people were killed and seven others injured in Russian attacks in the northeastern Kharkiv region in the past 24 hours, regional head Oleh Syniehubov said on Friday.
Syniehubov said Russian forces hit the city of Kharkiv and 16 other settlements in the region using guided aerial bombs and various types of unmanned aerial vehicles.
Ukraine’s air force said Ukrainian Defense Forces intercepted 174 of 189 Russian drones overnight. However, it was stated that 4 of the 7 Iskender-M ballistic missiles fired passed the air defenses and hit various places.
Ukrainian officials reported damage to power facilities, homes and other civilian infrastructure in the capital Kiev, the southern Odesa region and Sumy in the northeast.
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