Russia announces the downing of 31 Ukrainian drones west of the country

Russia announced on Wednesday the downing of 31 Ukrainian drones that attempted to attack targets in the west of the country, in addition to thwarting an attempt to land on the Crimean Peninsula, which Moscow annexed years ago. 

The Russian Ministry of Defense confirmed that "air defense systems operating in the airspace of the regions of Belgorod, Bryansk, and Kursk (bordering Ukraine) intercepted and destroyed 31 Ukrainian drones," without mentioning any casualties or damage resulting from this. 

Earlier, the governor of Bryansk, Aleksandr Bogomaz, reported the interception of a Ukrainian drone by Russian air defense means, and also mentioned that Kyiv had used cluster munitions against four provinces in his region, causing "partial destruction" of houses and buildings. 

Ukraine has intensified the use of drones to attack Russian targets since the beginning of its counteroffensive to reclaim areas controlled by Moscow in the east and south of the country since early June. These attacks also target the Crimean Peninsula, which Russia annexed in 2014, and is of great military importance for supplying forces inside Ukraine and its location on the Black Sea. 

The Ministry of Defense confirmed that its air forces thwarted in the northwestern part of the Black Sea, "an attempt to penetrate the territory of Crimea by a landing group of Ukrainian armed forces." 

They noted that these soldiers were heading to Tarkhankut in the northwest of Crimea on board a "fast military boat and three jet skis." 

Moscow had previously announced the thwarting of several attempts to launch attacks on Crimea by sea. On September 10th, the Russian Ministry of Defense confirmed that the air force destroyed three boats carrying Ukrainian soldiers in the western part of the Black Sea. 

On the 22nd of that month, Ukraine announced the targeting of the headquarters of the Black Sea Fleet in the city of Sevastopol with missile strikes. 

AFP