On the 682nd day of the war in Ukraine, Russia claimed to have shot down four Ukrainian missiles aimed at annexed Crimea. For its part, kyiv claimed to have struck the Saki air base in the west of the peninsula.
Russia claimed on Saturday to have shot down four Ukrainian missiles targeting annexed Crimea, in a context of an increase in deadly strikes on both sides since the end of December. “Air defense intercepted and destroyed four Ukrainian missiles over the Crimean Peninsula,” the Russian Defense Ministry said.
For its part, kyiv claimed to have struck the Saki air base in the west of the peninsula. “Saki airfield! All targets have been hit,” Ukrainian Air Force Commander Mykola Oleshchuk said on social media.
61 deaths since the end of December
Russia had already claimed Thursday to have repelled an attack by ten Ukrainian missiles targeting Crimea, an important territory for the logistics of the Russian forces which occupy part of southern Ukraine. The debris from this attack left one person injured.
In Golivka, a town controlled by Moscow in eastern Ukraine, Ukrainian bombings left one dead and two injured on Saturday, Mayor Ivan Prikhodko reported on Telegram. Strikes have increased on both sides in recent days, even though the conflict has lasted for almost two years.
Russia has massively bombed Ukrainian cities twice since the end of December: Friday (55 dead) and Tuesday (six dead). Ukraine, for its part, has repeatedly targeted the Russian town of Belgorod, 50 km from the border, including during an unprecedented attack last Saturday, which left 25 dead. These attacks also left hundreds injured.