Russia says Ukraine attempted fresh attacks on Crimean Bridge

By Elena Teslova

MOSCOW (AA) - Russia on Saturday said that Ukraine attempted to carry out new drone attacks on the Crimean bridge that connects the mainland with the Crimean Peninsula.

In a statement, the Defense Ministry said that Kyiv tried to hit the bridge thrice last night and that all attacks were “successfully” foiled.

On Friday, the ministry announced that it launched the constant monitoring of all types of reconnaissance in the Black Sea.

According to the ministry, the move came after Ukraine's Aug. 29-30 attempts to land a detachment of special operations forces on the coast of Crimea with the goal "to commit terrorist acts."

The ministry also said that another attack was foiled in Russia's Belgorod region, where “an attempt to carry out a terrorist attack by an unmanned aerial vehicle of an airplane type was stopped."

Drone strikes inside Russia have dramatically increased in recent months, notably in Moscow, in Ukraine’s Crimea territory illegally annexed by Russia, and in Russian regions bordering Ukraine, with authorities accusing Ukraine of being behind them.

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