The Kerch bridge – which hyperlinks Crimea and Russia – was quickly closed following the assault
A sequence of explosions have rocked Crimea, after a reported Ukrainian drone assault on the peninsula which was annexed by Russia in 2014.
Video posted on-line exhibits a blast allegedly close to a gas depot within the south-eastern metropolis of Feodosiya.
Russian officers mentioned 38 drones had been shot down. The Kerch bridge which connects Crimea with Russia was quickly closed.
The assault comes as Ukraine continues to induce allies to spice up arms provides.
Russian troops have lately made positive factors in Ukraine as Kyiv struggles to maintain its forces with Western-made arms. Moscow took management final month of the important thing jap city of Avdiivka.
However, in keeping with British navy intelligence, this has come at an enormous value. In its newest replace, it mentioned February had been the deadliest for the Russians for the reason that begin of the full-scale invasion on 24 February 2022 – with 983 killed and wounded per day.
“Today, Russia has highly likely lost over 355,000 personnel killed or wounded during the Ukraine war,” it mentioned. It will not be clear how the determine was reached.
Russia doesn’t present a report of casualties. Just a few days in the past, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, mentioned Ukraine had misplaced 31,000 troops since February 2022.
Russia has not reported any injury from the newest assault on Crimea, though eyewitnesses have reported home windows shaking and automotive alarms going off. Kyiv has not confirmed its forces had been concerned.
On Saturday, a Russian drone hit a block of flats within the Ukrainian metropolis of Odesa, killing at the very least 10 individuals, together with three little kids.
On Sunday, Russia focused the southern Kherson area, killing one particular person and injuring one other three, in keeping with Ukrainian officers.
Russian forces have launched hundreds of Iranian-made drones at Ukrainian targets since they invaded the nation greater than two years in the past.
In retaliation Ukraine has focused Russian websites, notably oil amenities.
On Saturday a drone struck a residential constructing in St Petersburg, Russia’s second-largest metropolis. About 100 individuals had been evacuated and there have been no stories of casualties.
Image supply, Getty Images
Russia has been utilizing Iran-supplied drones as Ukraine suffers from a dwindling of Western arms provides
With its airbases, troop concentrations, coaching grounds and the Black Sea fleet, Crimea has been a key goal for the Ukrainians.
At one level final 12 months, it was thought that it meant to launch a full-scale assault to retake the peninsula.
In specific, Ukraine has repeatedly hit Russia’s Black Sea fleet. Satellite pictures final 12 months confirmed most of the Crimea-based warships had left the peninsula for the Russian Black Sea port of Novorossiysk.
Last month, the Russian touchdown ship Caesar Kunikov was sunk off the coast of Crimea, in keeping with Ukraine’s armed forces.
Its sister ship Novocherkassk was hit whereas in port in Feodosiya in December final 12 months.
In one of many largest strikes on the Black Sea fleet, final September Ukraine attacked naval targets and port infrastructure, utilizing as many as 10 missiles and three unmanned boats. It brought about a big fireplace at a Sevastopol shipyard.
Ukraine has additionally focused the Kerch bridge a number of occasions as it is a crucial resupply route for Russian forces occupying elements of the nation’s south.
Kyiv has repeatedly mentioned it plans to retake Crimea and all territories seized by Russia.
Ukraine is critically depending on weapons provides from the US and different Western allies to maintain preventing Russia – a a lot greater navy drive with an abundance of arms and artillery.
Ukrainian troops have been working out of ammunition as supporters of former US President Donald Trump in Congress refuse to approve a $61bn (£48bn) navy help package deal.
