Russian Ministry of Defense: Ukrainian Boat Destroyed and Two Drones Shot Down Near the Border

The Russian Ministry of Defense stated early on Saturday that its forces destroyed an unmanned Ukrainian boat that was being used in an attempt to attack the bridge connecting the Crimean Peninsula to the Russian mainland. The bridge, completed in 2018, has been subjected to repeated attacks since Russia's invasion of Ukraine 18 months ago. The ministry reported on Telegram: "On September 1, at approximately 11:15 PM (20:15 GMT), the Ukrainian regime attempted to carry out a terrorist attack using an unmanned boat." It added that the boat was "detected and destroyed in a timely manner off the Black Sea coast." No immediate comment was made by Ukrainian officials, who typically say little or nothing about attacks on Russian targets, but assert that destroying Russian infrastructure is vital for the war effort. The ministry also claimed it shot down two Ukrainian drones over the Belgorod region, an area that has experienced repeated attacks from Kyiv's forces. Separately, the governor of the neighboring Kursk region said that a border village was shelled by Ukraine, resulting in one woman being injured. The number of Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian territory has increased in recent weeks, with dozens of drones sometimes launching attacks on Russia simultaneously.