According to media reports, several explosions occurred in the port city of Sevastopol on the Russian-occupied Crimean peninsula on the Black Sea. The Russian Defense Ministry, on the other hand, announced today simply: “Two Ukrainian drones were destroyed by air defense over the southwestern part of the Crimean peninsula.”
Meanwhile, several Telegram channels published photos showing the glow of the fire over the city. Neighbors reported a strong burning smell. Russia annexed the Ukrainian peninsula in 2014, in violation of international law.
Russian Black Sea Fleet Base
According to the Moscow-appointed governor of Sevastopol, Mikhail Razvoshayev, no infrastructure objects were hit. The port city is also the base of the Russian Black Sea Fleet. Raswoshayev explained the smell of fire with a smoke screen that the Navy used to provide visual protection against drones. “Yes, the smell is unpleasant, but completely harmless,” he wrote on Telegram.
In recent days, Ukraine has repeatedly attacked targets in Crimea with drones and cruise missiles. Among other things, a shipyard and two warships were damaged; a day later, according to information from Kiev, a modern S-400 anti-aircraft unit was also destroyed. Russia has not yet confirmed the loss of the S-400. Ukraine has been defending itself against a war of Russian aggression for a good year and a half.