Ukraine forces have continued attacks on Crimea, on Friday unleashing the largest wave of drone attacks on the peninsula since the start of the war. It comes the same week Secretary Blinken reasserted that "Crimea is Ukraine".
Russia's military initially said it downed a barrage of 42 drones near Crimea. A defense ministry (MoD) statement nine drones were "destroyed... over the territory of the Republic of Crimea," while 33 others "were suppressed by electronic warfare and crashed without reaching their targets." The figure was later in the day revised upward to 73 Ukrainian drones launched over the prior 24-hour period.
"Russian forces have downed 73 Ukrainian drones over the past 24 hours after a night of mass attacks centered on Crimea," the MoD stated. "Explosions hit a Russian base in Crimea on Friday, according to reports, following Kyiv’s largest-ever drone attack on the peninsula."
There was no mention of casualties or damage due to the large-scale drone attack. Multiple drones were observed destroyed over water off Crimea's Cape Khersones, near the major naval port of Sevastopol.
"All forces and services are in a state of combat readiness," Sevastopol Governor Mikhail Razvozhayev announced on Telegram. This week Ukraine touted that its forces destroyed a S-400 defense system in Crimea, and further that special operatives conducted an amphibious landing Wednesday night, and safely returned from the mission.
The Russian MoD describe a separate attack involving a Ukrainian missile fired toward Moscow. "The Russian defence ministry said a modified S-200 missile had been shot down over the Kaluga region, which borders the Moscow region," Reuters said of the statement. "The city of Kaluga is less than 200 km (124 miles) from Moscow."
The MoD noted, "The missile was detected and destroyed by air defences over the territory of the Kaluga region" - and further there were no casualties.
Drone attacks on central Moscow have now become weekly, but Ukraine's counteroffensive is still stalled and failing - according to most battlefield accounts, which points to the growth of cross-border attacks being a sign of desperation.
Ukraine's government might also be desperate enough to orchestrate an intentionally escalatory situation which would attempt "ensure" the West gets more directly dragged into the war.
This also at a moment Kiev officials continue to be frustrated at lack of air superiority, given the lag over the timeframe of receiving F-16 jets. Washington this week said it will allow a new training program of Ukrainian pilots on American soil, namely in Texas and Arizona, given a mere six Ukrainian pilots are said to be undergoing the Denmark-hosted program.
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