A video shows the moment a suspected Ukrainian surface drone exploded in annexed Crimean naval port Sevastopol during the night.
‘Our fleet is now repelling an attack by surface drones …,’ said the Moscow-installed governor, Mikhail Razvozhaev, 42.
‘All services of the city are on alert.’
He claimed one incoming drone was ‘eliminated by the anti-submarine/sabotage defence forces’ while a second ‘blew up on its own’.
Russian sources said one attack came at 3:31am, and a second at 3:44am.
Ukrainian drones attack Sevastopol, HQ of Russian Black Sea Fleet overnight from 23 to 24 April 2023
Ukrainian drones attack Sevastopol, HQ of Russian Black Sea Fleet overnight from 23 to 24 April 2023
‘The whole city woke up from the explosions,’ said one report.
Footage also showed that Russian defences were engaged seeking to counter incoming surface drones.
The Russian sources denied any damage to Vladimir Putin’s Black Sea Fleet or any facilities.
Ukraine made no immediate comment.
However, Sevastopol – headquarters of the Russian fleet – has experienced regular drone attacks in recent months.
‘Everything occurred in the outer anchorage, no facilities have been damaged,’ said Razvozhaev.
Governor of Sevastopol Mikhail Razvozhaev
Ukrainian drones attack Sevastopol, HQ of Russian Black Sea Fleet overnight from 23 to 24 April 2023
Ukrainian drones attack Sevastopol, HQ of Russian Black Sea Fleet overnight from 23 to 24 April 2023
‘Right now it’s quiet in the city but all forces and services remain on alert.’
According to Russia’s Interfax news agency, passenger ferry transport had been suspended in the Black Sea port city as a result of the drone attacks.
Sevastopol, alongside the rest of the Crimean peninsula, was declared annexed by Russia in 2014, yet is internationally recognised as part of Ukraine.
This morning, the wreckage of a suspected Ukrainian drone has been found east of Moscow in a sign of new danger to Russia.
It came as another military drone struck an oil depot in Rovenky, in Russian-occupied Luhansk region, triggering an explosion.
Video showed flames erupting from the facility as firefighters tackled the blaze.
While the separate drone crashed east of Moscow – near Noginsk, it is assumed it either overflew or circumnavigated the capital city.
The crash site is some 32 miles east of the Kremlin.
Russian media share pictures of a Ukrainian drone, filled with 17kg of explosives, found some 32miles east of Moscow
Russian media share pictures of a Ukrainian drone, filled with 17kg of explosives, found some 32miles east of Moscow
The drone crashed near Noginsk, 32 miles east of Moscow
While Moscow has not been hit so far in the war by a Ukrainian aerial attack, there are fears that the city is vulnerable despite a huge deployment of air defences.
The drone was discovered by a local woman, 35, who went into the woods to bury her dead kitten.
Police said it was stuffed with 17kg of Canadian M112 explosive charges.
It is believed to be a Ukrainian UJ-22 drone.
Explosive experts worked at the site for five hours to make the explosives safe, said reports in Russia today.
The drone was discovered by a local woman, 35, who went into the woods to bury her dead kitten
Its location is closer to Moscow than any previous disclosed Ukrainian attack drone
Its location is closer to Moscow than any previous disclosed Ukrainian attack drone.
It appears to have evaded the capital’s air defences which have been massively strengthened in recent weeks.
The drone may have crashed among trees after running out of fuel, according to Russian sources.
Ukrainian drone strikes an oil base in Rovenky, occupied Ukraine
Ukrainian drone strikes an oil base in Rovenky, occupied Ukraine
The drone’s supposed flight route and target was unclear.
Moscow is around 280 miles from the closest point in Ukraine in a straight line.
Elsewhere, Russian border region Belgorod yesterday reported at least four drone strikes on its territory.
One person was wounded from one of the attacks.
