Ukraine Claims Destruction of Russian Air Defense System in Crimea

Ukraine has claimed to have destroyed a sophisticated Russian air defence system in occupied Crimea. The attack was reportedly carried out by Kyiv's security service (SBU) and navy, using cruise missiles and drones. Video footage on social media showed fire and smoke near the city of Yevpatoriya, which is located in the west of the Russian-occupied peninsula. Moscow has not directly commented on the claim, but the Russian defence ministry stated that it had shot down several Ukrainian aerial drones and thwarted a separate attack on a naval patrol vessel. Earlier on Thursday, a number of explosions were reported in the Crimean peninsula, which Russia illegally occupied in 2014. According to a Ukrainian intelligence source, the operation involved the use of drones to disable radar equipment and cruise missiles to target air defence missile launchers. The source stated that two Neptune cruise missiles, which were domestically designed by the Ukrainian military, were used to hit the S300 and S400 'Triumph' systems. The value of these systems is estimated at $1.2bn. The exact number of batteries hit has not been disclosed, but local residents reported explosions at around 05:40 local time. BBC Verify, an analysis project, has examined social media footage of smoke rising and believes it to be related to the attack on Yevpatoriya. In response, Russia's defence ministry downplayed the significance of the attack and claimed to have shot down 11 drones over Crimea. Russian-appointed local officials have not reported any damage to the military facility or the air defence systems. The S400 air defence system, which has been in service since 2007, is an upgraded version of the Cold War-era S300. Its missiles have a range of 400km and can operate at altitudes of 48km, targeting aircraft and ballistic missiles. This recent attack suggests that Ukraine is intensifying its operations against occupying forces in Crimea. Yesterday, it launched a major attack on the port of Sevastopol, the headquarters of Russia's Black Sea fleet. Ukrainian officials claim that two Russian naval ships were seriously damaged. Russian officials stated that 10 missiles were used in the attack, which reportedly injured 24 people. The use of these missiles demonstrates Ukraine's increased use of long-range weaponry. Meanwhile, Ukraine's finance ministry announced that the country would receive $1.25bn from the United States as part of the World Bank's PEACE in Ukraine project. The funds will be used for non-military purposes, specifically for vulnerable groups and the provision of educational and medical services.