Russian-installed official in Crimea says air defenses shot down 10 drones

[January 16, 2023]  (Reuters) - The Russian-installed governor of Sevastopol in Crimea said on Monday that air defenses had downed 10 drones over the city in what he called a "failed Ukrainian attack".

Governor of Sevastopol Mikhail Razvozhayev attends a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Sochi, Russia November 2, 2022. Sputnik/Mikhail Metzel/Pool via REUTERS

Sevastopol, which is on the Crimean peninsula that Russia annexed in 2014, has come under repeated air attack since Russia invaded Ukraine last February. Russian officials have blamed the attacks on Ukraine.

Governor Mikhail Razvozhayev said all the drones were downed over the sea, with no damage to any infrastructure.

"Air defense and the Black Sea Fleet shot down 10 out of 10 Ukrainian drones over the sea," he said in a post on his Telegram channel.

He denied reports in Ukrainian media that there were explosions in the city, and said air defenses were continuing to monitor the skies.

Ukraine has demonstrated the capacity to hit Russia with surprise attacks in Crimea, far beyond the frontlines of fighting in south and eastern Ukraine, though it typically refrains from claiming responsibility.

In October, Russia said Ukraine had attacked the Black Sea Fleet near Sevastopol with maritime drones which it said it managed to destroy. In August, Russia's Saky air base in Crimea was hit by a devastating attack in which satellite imagery showed at least eight warplanes were destroyed.

(Reporting by Reuters)

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