The Russian Ministry of Defense reported that Russian air forces destroyed 42 drones launched by Ukraine over the Crimean Peninsula and a missile over the Kaluga region in the early hours of Friday. The ministry stated that air defense forces destroyed nine drones, while 33 drones were neutralized through electronic warfare and crashed in Crimea without reaching their targets. Russia annexed the Crimean Peninsula from Ukraine in 2014.
Mikhail Razvozzhaev, the Moscow-appointed governor of Sevastopol, a coastal city in Crimea, stated via Telegram that "a number of drones were destroyed over Khersones on the outskirts of Sevastopol." Earlier, the ministry announced that it had shot down a missile launched by Ukraine above the Kaluga region, which borders Moscow.
There were no immediate reports of material or human losses resulting from the attacks that Russia blamed on Ukraine. Two Russian airports suspended flights for several hours. Ukraine has never publicly claimed responsibility for attacks inside Russia or on Russian-controlled territories in Ukraine, but it has stated in recent months that the destruction of Russian military infrastructure aids in the counteroffensive being conducted by Kyiv.
