UPDATE - Russia claims it foiled Ukrainian drone attacks on Moscow, Crimea

CHANGES HEADLINE; UPDATES WITH STATEMENTS ON DRONE ATTACK ON CRIMEA; EDITS THROUGHOUT

By Burc Eruygur

ISTANBUL (AA) - Russia on Monday claimed that it thwarted overnight Ukrainian drone attacks on Moscow and the Crimean Peninsula, which it annexed in 2014.

In an initial statement, the Defense Ministry said “by means of electronic warfare, two Ukrainian UAVs (over Moscow) were jammed and crashed,” adding that there were no casualties.

Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin said on Telegram that the attack took place at about 4 a.m. (0100GMT) on two non-residential buildings. “There were no serious damages or casualties. All emergency services are on site,” he added.

The ministry later said it the forces also thwarted another Ukrainian drone attack in Crimea overnight.

"Fourteen Ukrainian UAVs were suppressed by electronic warfare, of which 11 drones crashed in the Black Sea, and three more fell on the territory of the peninsula," the statement said.

It added that three more drones were destroyed by air defense systems.

Sergey Aksyonov, the Russian-installed head of Crimea, said the drones hit an ammunition depot in the Dzhankoi district.

He claimed drone debris also damaged a private house in the Kirovske district, adding that population of nearby villages in the Dzhankoi district were being evacuated.

He also said that railway traffic in the district and the Dzhankoi-Simferopol highway was temporarily suspended.

Ukrainian officials have not yet commented on Russia's claims, which could not be independently verified.