Attack on oil storage facilities and radars
Ukraine covers Crimea with combat drones
December 5th, 2023, 8:23 p.m
Ukraine launched a drone attack on the Russian-annexed Crimean peninsula and the Kerch Bridge was closed. Information from Kiev and Moscow about the damage contradicts each other. While the Kremlin claims to have repelled the attack, the war opponent claims to have hit objects.
Ukraine has attacked the Russian-annexed Black Sea peninsula of Crimea with several dozen combat drones. The Russian military in Moscow officially announced that the wave of attacks had been repelled. In contrast, Ukrainian media, citing intelligence sources, reported that a number of militarily important objects in Crimea had been hit. This also includes an oil storage facility in the port city of Feodosiya from which Russian troops are supplied, the Unian agency reported.
A Russian anti-aircraft radar was destroyed in the east of Crimea near Kerch. Near Strelkovo in the north of the peninsula, a base for Russian helicopters, another radar and a missile guidance system were hit. The information provided by both sides could not initially be verified.
According to the media, residents of Crimea reported the sounds of explosions. In the meantime, the 19-kilometer-long Kerch Bridge was closed overnight. It connects Crimea, which was incorporated in violation of international law in 2014, and the Russian mainland. The Russian Defense Ministry said 26 Ukrainian unmanned missiles had been destroyed. 15 more drones were intercepted over the Sea of Azov and Crimea. In terms of the number of drones, this would be Ukraine’s largest such attack since the summer.
Russia has been waging a war of aggression against neighboring Ukraine for more than 21 months. In its defense against the Russian invasion, Ukraine repeatedly shells Russian territory – both in the border region and in the hinterland. However, the number of victims and damage are disproportionate to the serious consequences of the war in Ukraine. Ukraine also reported Russian drone attacks on various parts of the country. The Ukrainian Air Force said 10 of a total of 17 Russian combat drones could have been intercepted. In addition, Russia shelled the neighboring country with six missiles from the S-300 anti-aircraft system during the night.