Russia’s Ministry of Defence has announced that it successfully intercepted and destroyed 19 Ukrainian drones in a recent wave of attacks. The drones were targeted at various locations in the Russia-annexed Crimean peninsula, the Black Sea, as well as other parts of Russia. The Russian defence ministry stated that the attacks were an attempted terrorist attack by the Ukrainian government, and it was able to thwart the assault using its air defence systems.
The ministry did not provide any information regarding any potential casualties or damage resulting from the attacks. However, this incident highlights the ongoing tensions between Russia and Ukraine and the increasing sophistication of Ukraine’s offensive capabilities.
Since the annexation of Crimea by Russia in 2014, Ukraine has vowed to retake the Black Sea peninsula. As a result, Ukrainian forces have frequently launched aerial attacks targeting Crimea. This includes strikes on Russian Black Sea fleet command posts, as well as attacks using surface seaborne drones.
The recent drone attacks, which Russia successfully intercepted and destroyed, suggest that Ukraine possesses growing offensive sophistication. Military analysts have noted Ukraine’s ability to execute complex operations, such as launching missile and drone attacks against Russian targets. This indicates that Ukraine’s offensive capabilities surpass those of Russia, according to Phillips O’Brien, a professor of strategic studies at the University of St Andrews.
While the Russian government has downplayed the incident and claimed that Ukrainian attacks are being successfully repelled, tensions between the two nations continue to escalate.-
Sources:
– Russian Ministry of Defence
– Ukrainian military
– Phillips O’Brien, University of St Andrews