Russian-occupied Crimea came under an overnight drone attack early Saturday, with explosions reported across several parts of the peninsula and a fire allegedly breaking out near the Gvardeyskoye military airfield.
More than 20 explosions were heard in the Gvardeyskoye area, according to the Krymsky Veter monitoring channel, citing local residents. Witnesses also reported repeated blasts and a glow in the direction of the airfield. Footage posted by the channel purportedly showed Russian mobile fire groups attempting to shoot down incoming drones at around 12:30 a.m. The reports and extent of any damage could not be independently verified.
Explosions were also reported in several districts of Sevastopol, where the Balaklava Thermal Power Plant may have been targeted, according to Krymsky Veter. Blasts were also heard in Feodosia and Kerch.
The Gvardeyskoye airfield has been targeted previously. Ukraine’s General Staff reported a strike on the Russian military airfield on July 5 as part of operations against military facilities in occupied Crimea.
The latest reported attack comes as Russian-occupied Crimea faces mounting pressure on its energy infrastructure. Ukrainian strikes have repeatedly disrupted electricity supplies across the peninsula, including in Sevastopol, where previous attacks knocked out power and disrupted public transport. Kyiv says its campaign against Russian energy and logistics infrastructure is aimed at weakening Moscow’s ability to sustain its war against Ukraine.