Black Sea port repels two Ukrainian drone attacks within 24 hours – official
Kiev’s forces launched a series of drone attacks on the Russian port city of Sevastopol in Crimea on Monday, according to governor Mikhail Razvozhayev. Russian air defense systems have so far managed to shoot down all incoming UAVs without sustaining any damage to infrastructure in the city or in nearby waters, he said.
According to the governor, there were two series of attacks in the past 24 hours and ten out of ten launched UAVs had been shot down as of 2:46 pm local time. Writing on social media, Razvozhayev noted that all the drones had been destroyed above the sea and failed to reach any of their intended targets, which allegedly included Belbek airport just north of the city.
“The Ukrainian PsyOps are trying to pass off this failed attack as yet another 'breakthrough.' They write that there are explosions in the city and are asking people to send them confirmation. We confirm that no one will send you anything, everything is calm in the Hero City,” Razvozhayev wrote.
He added that the Russian military has “confidently and calmly” repelled the attacks and continues to monitor the situation in the air, and urged people to only trust official information.
Monday’s attack marks the fifth time Sevastopol has been targeted by drones this year. The city's air defense systems were activated on January 10. Three days before that, one drone was shot down above its Northern pier. On January 4 two drones were destroyed near Belbek airport and another two were shot down on January 2 above the Black Sea.
Located on the southwest coast of Crimea, which joined Russia following a referendum in 2014, the strategic port city is home to Russia’s Black Sea Fleet and has been targeted by drone strikes on numerous occasions since Moscow launched its military campaign in Ukraine last February.
Russian authorities have placed the blame for the attacks on Ukraine, which considers Crimea to be an inalienable part of its territory “temporarily occupied” by Russia. Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky has repeatedly vowed to retake the peninsula by any means necessary.
