Additional Coverage:
Ukraine Claims Destruction of Russian Aircraft in Crimea; Tensions Escalate with NATO
In a significant escalation of the ongoing conflict, Ukraine’s military intelligence (HUR) announced the destruction of two Russian Be-12 amphibious aircraft at an airfield near Sevastopol in Crimea. The HUR claims this is the first Ukrainian attack on this type of Soviet-era aircraft, reportedly carried out by their “Phantoms” special unit.
Video footage circulating online appears to show a drone targeting one of the planes. A Russian Mi-8 helicopter was also reportedly targeted in the operation.
Russia has not yet commented on the incident.
This attack comes amidst a flurry of accusations and counter-accusations from both sides. Moscow and Kyiv traded allegations of drone strikes on civilian targets, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky anticipating a tense week of diplomacy at the UN General Assembly.
He reported that Ukraine had been subjected to over 1,500 drone strikes, 1,280 glide bombs, and 50 missile attacks in the previous week alone, and that these weapons contained over 132,000 foreign-made components. Meanwhile, the southern Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia was hit by Russian airstrikes, resulting in three fatalities and two injuries, according to regional officials.
Residential buildings, shopping centers, a car park, and critical infrastructure were reportedly damaged. The Ukrainian air force claims to have intercepted a majority of the drones launched by Russia overnight.
Tensions are also rising between Russia and NATO. Several European nations have condemned Russia for recent actions, including alleged drone incursions into Poland and fighter jet intrusions into Estonian airspace.
Latvian President Edgars Rinkevics suggested that Russia is testing NATO’s response while attempting to undermine Western support for Ukraine. Russia’s Defense Ministry denied any airspace violation, with Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov dismissing the claims as baseless provocations.
Within Russia, officials reported several drone attacks. Sergei Aksyonov, the Moscow-appointed head of occupied Crimea, reported three fatalities and 16 injuries in a drone strike on the resort town of Foros.
The Russian Defense Ministry stated there are no military installations in the area. Belgorod’s regional governor also reported casualties from Ukrainian drone attacks, and the Russian Defense Ministry claimed to have downed 114 Ukrainian drones across various regions.