Published: May 17, 2024 9:26 am
Author: RT
Two people were killed in the strikes, however, including a child, while power outages and fires were reported in Sevastopol and Krasnodar Region
The Russian military has repelled several large-scale Ukrainian drone raids, shooting down 102 UAVs overnight, the Defense Ministry in Moscow has said. The attacks, however, killed at least two people in Belgorod Region – including a four-year-old child – and caused a fire at an oil processing plant in Krasnodar Region.
In a statement on Wednesday morning, the ministry said Russian air defenses had thwarted a number of “terrorist attacks,” shooting down or intercepting 51 drones over Crimea and 44 drones over Krasnodar Region in the southern part of the country. Six more Ukrainian UAVs were downed over the border Belgorod Region and one over Kursk Region.
Russian naval aircraft and coastal patrols also destroyed six Ukrainian unmanned boats in the Black Sea, officials added.
In Belgorod Region, a kamikaze drone hit a civilian car, killing a woman and her four-year-old child, and injuring the other two passengers, Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said.
In the aftermath of the attack, Sevastopol Governor Mikhail Razvozhaev reported blackouts in the Crimean city, noting that it will take an estimated 24 hours to restore operations at a local electric substation. Classes have been canceled in all schools and kindergartens, he added.
READ MORE: WATCH Russian Navy destroy Ukrainian sea drones moving toward Crimea
Meanwhile, Krasnodar Governor Veniamin Kondratyev said that falling drone debris resulted in fires in several locations. According to local authorities, a blaze broke out at an oil processing plant in the coastal city of Tuapse. Unverified footage from the scene shared by the Astra Telegram channel appears to show a major fire at the facility, with another Ukrainian drone crashing nearby.
Ukraine routinely launches drone attacks on Russian regions not far from its border, with many raids targeting civilians and critical infrastructure. Kiev has also recently ramped up its strikes on Russian oil facilities.
