Russia says 42 Ukrainian drones downed over Crimea

By Burc Eruygur

ISTANBUL (AA) – Russia early Friday said that it downed 42 Ukrainian drones in an attempted attack over the Crimean Peninsula, which Moscow illegally annexed in 2014.

“Tonight, an attempt by the Kyiv regime to carry out terrorist attacks by aircraft-type unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) on the territory of the Russian Federation was thwarted,” said a statement by the Russian Defense Ministry.

The statement claimed that Russian air defense systems detected 42 drones over the peninsula, of which nine were shot down and 33 were suppressed by electronic warfare “without reaching their target.”

Late Wednesday, the Russian Defense Ministry also claimed a missile attack by Ukraine from a “modified S-200 air defense system” was thwarted in the Kaluga region.

Ukrainian authorities have not yet commented on the attacks, and independent verification of Russia’s claims is difficult due to the ongoing war.

Drone strikes inside Russia have dramatically increased in recent months, notably in Moscow, Crimea, and the country's regions bordering Ukraine, with authorities accusing Ukraine of being behind them.

Although Kyiv has not claimed responsibility, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in late July that the attacks on Russian territory are an “inevitable, natural and absolutely fair process.”​​​​​​​​​​​​​​