Drone Hits Home of Crimea’s Top Chechen Official – Partisans Say

The Ukrainian “Atesh” partisan movement reported that on Friday morning a drone struck the home of Murad Saidov, the Deputy Head of the Chechen Republic, in the city of Saky on the occupied Crimean Peninsula.

According to the report the drone struck the building, damaged the house and several nearby vehicles.

“Obviously, Ukraine’s Defense Forces do not target civilian sites, and in this case, it’s another example of the poor performance of Russian air defense. But it serves as a clear reminder to the occupiers and their collaborators that it’s time to flee from Ukrainian Crimea,” the partisans said.

Kyiv Post cannot independently verify the information at the moment.

As reported by the Telegram channel “Crimean Wind,“ Ukrainian drones also targeted Russian military airfields in Novofedorivka and Kacha in the attack that lasted for nearly five hours according to witnesses.

Explosions were also heard in other parts of Crimea, including Armiansk and Krasnoperekopsk. The full extent of the damage is still being assessed.

The Russian Defense Ministry reported 59 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) shot down over the peninsula.

Partisans warn that Russian occupation forces are preparing large-scale inspections in Crimea under the guise of “anti-terror” drills. According to their information, new checkpoints will be installed across the peninsula on April 29, with additional patrols deployed to inspect documents, phones, and search for pro-Ukrainian residents.

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Russian Supply Lines to Crimea Under Pressure | Eastern Express

Russian-occupied Crimea is facing growing pressure as reports point to shortages of basic goods, fuel restrictions, and mounting disruption to supply routes. Ukraine has ramped up strikes on the logistics network that connects Crimea to Russia’s war machine, including roads, bridges, ports, and fuel infrastructure across the occupied south.

Atesh report growing panic among Russian troops over the possibility of massive strikes on military targets in Crimea. Under the cover of these drills, Russian forces are secretly moving military equipment and air defense systems and tightening control over civilians to identify those collaborating with Ukrainian intelligence.

The organization is urging its agents and supporters to exercise extreme caution by wiping conversations, log out of Telegram accounts, and use backup phones. It said that they continue to monitor Russian troop movements and pass all intelligence to Ukraine’s Defense Forces.

Since the 2014 illegal annexation of Crimea Russia has effectively turned the peninsula into a major military base that plays a key role in its war against Ukraine. Crimea hosts multiple airbases, missile launchers, ammunition depots, air defense systems, and the headquarters of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet. It is actively used as a launchpad for missile and drone attacks on mainland Ukraine and as a logistics hub for moving military assets to the southern front.

In the early hours of April 25, several more cities on the Russian-occupied peninsula, as well as the town of Shuya in Russia’s Ivanovo region, were hit in a new wave of drone attacks.

Russian authorities reported a drone attack on the town of Shuya in the Ivanovo region. Shuya is located approximately 950 kilometers (600 miles) from the Ukrainian border and about 300 kilometers (190 miles) northeast of Moscow.

Residents heard early morning sirens followed by explosions. Around 3:30 a.m., the local administration confirmed that a UAV attack was “being repelled” over the city. Later, officials reported falling debris and that emergency services were operating at the scene.

This is said to be the third drone attack on Shuya in the past two weeks.

Russia’s Ministry of Defense claimed that its air defense systems shot down 79 drones overnight, including one over the Ivanovo region. As usual, Moscow blamed Ukraine for the attack. However, at the time of publication, Kyiv had not confirmed its responsibility.

Shuya, located 30 kilometers (19 miles) from the city of Ivanovo, is home to Russia’s 112th Guards Missile Brigade. The head of Ukraine’s military intelligence directorate (HUR), Kyrylo Budanov, previously accused this brigade of launching a deadly ballistic missile strike on the city of Sumy on April 13, which killed 35 people and injured over 100 – passersby, motorists, families walking on the sidewalks, churchgoers, and passengers on a bus were hit.