Ukraine updates: Russia repels drone attack on Crimea

The Defense Ministry of Russia reported that they successfully prevented a drone attack on Crimea during the early hours of Sunday morning.

The defense ministry of Russia announced the destruction of several drones that were heading towards the peninsula from various directions. However, no information was provided regarding any potential harm or casualties.

Despite the illegal annexation of Crimea by Russia in 2014, Ukraine has continuously launched attacks on Russian military bases located in the region, which is considered Ukrainian territory.

Ukraine’s counteroffensive aims to regain control of Crimea, where Russia’s Black Sea Fleet is stationed.

In recent days, Ukraine has initiated a series of attacks on Russian military objectives in occupied Crimea and the facilities of their fleet.

On Saturday, Oleksiy Danilov, the secretary of Ukraine’s Security Council, urged Ukraine’s allies to speed up weapons deliveries to help Kyiv achieve its aims.

“I cannot reword.”

On Sunday, Kim Jong Un, the leader of North Korea, continued his visit to Russia’s Far East by touring a university and attending a walrus show at an aquarium.

Kim had a meeting at the Far Eastern Federal University on Russky Island with the university’s president, the governor of Russia’s Primorye region, Oleg Kozhemyako, and Russian Natural Resources Minister Alexander Kozlov.

Kozlov informed Kim that there were students from North Korea enrolled in the university.

Later, Kim paid a visit to the Primorsky Aquarium in Russia, which is the largest aquarium in the country. There, he witnessed captivating shows starring beluga whales, bottlenose dolphins, fur seals, and a walrus named “Misha.” According to Russian media, Kim appeared to have a special fondness for Misha.

On Sunday morning, two drone attacks were reported within the territory of Russia.

The Defense Ministry announced in a Telegram post that a drone was shot down in the Istrinsky district near Moscow.

Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin stated separately that based on initial information, there were no injuries or destruction reported at the location where the debris landed.

The regional governor reported that an oil depot in southwestern Russia was damaged by a Ukrainian drone, causing a fire in a fuel tank. However, the fire was eventually put out.

Andrei Klychkov, the governor of the Oryol region, stated that there have been no casualties and all emergency services are currently operating within the facility’s premises.

It was not specified by him whether the depot was targeted by the drone or simply affected by flying fragments.

Kyiv typically does not claim responsibility for drone attacks on Russian soil.

zk/rc (AFP, AP, dpa, Reuters)