Overnight, Ukraine unleashed a significant drone attack against military and energy installations within Russia and the occupied peninsula of Crimea. Moscow has declared that more than 100 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) were engaged in the operation, marking a substantial escalation in the conflict’s dynamics.
The Russian Defense Ministry claimed that its forces had intercepted and destroyed 102 drones across four regions and neutralized an additional six drone boats in the Black Sea. The exact extent of the damage has not been fully disclosed, but reports from Novorossiysk, a city in Russia’s Krasnodar Krai region, indicate that local oil infrastructure suffered attacks. Videos from residents exhibit audible explosions and visible air defense activity. The governor of Krasnodar Krai, Veniamin Kondratyev, confirmed that 10 drones were shot down, sparking “local fires” but reportedly causing no casualties.
“I ask Novorossiysk residents to remain calm and not post photos and videos of the operation of our air defense systems on social networks,” he wrote on Telegram. In Sevastopol, the administrative center of Crimea, a substation was damaged, resulting in power disruptions that affected the city’s infrastructure, including educational institutions and public transportation, as detailed by Mikhail Razvozhaev, the Kremlin-backed governor.
An anonymous source from Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) reported to the Kyiv Independent that the attack was a joint operation between the SBU and Ukraine’s military intelligence. The source remarked, “Today’s operation proved that the Russians are unable to protect their main naval bases in Sevastopol and Novorossiysk.”
This drone offensive comes amidst a wider context of intensified conflict, with Russia launching a major new offensive in Ukraine’s northeastern territory earlier this month.
In a sobering admission, Zelenskyy also highlighted Ukraine’s deficit in air defense capabilities, estimating that they possess only a quarter of what is required to effectively hold the front line. He appealed to allies for more air defense systems and advanced fighter jets.
Relevant articles:
– Russians Plunged into Darkness After Monster Drone Attack, The Daily Beast, 05/18/2024
– Ukraine halts Russia’s Kharkiv advance, Putin says offensive aims to create buffer zone, NBC News, 05/17/2024
– Zelenskyy warns Russia’s Kharkiv offensive may only be ‘first wave’, Al Jazeera English, 05/18/2024
– Over 100 Drone Attacks Overnight: Kremlin Reports Kyiv Targeting Krasnodar Oil Refinery and Port, Kyiv Post, 05/18/2024
– Ukraine stops Russia’s advance and unleashes a wave of drones on Crimea, Yahoo! Voices, 05/17/2024
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