Ukraine targets Crimea coast with Neptune missiles and fires 31 drones at border regions

Ukraine trained its Neptune missiles on Russian targets in the illegally-occupied Crimean peninsula on Tuesday in a fresh attack, according to reports.

Russia’s Ministry of Defence said in an update that a Ukrainian Neptune missile was shot down over the northwestern part of the Black Sea off the coast of the Crimean peninsula. The attack was carried out around 8.30pm local time.

A Ukrainian drone also targeted Russia’s Black Sea port city of Sevastopol.

Debris from the drone landed on the roof of an apartment building but there were no injuries, said Mikhail Razvozhayev, the Russia-appointed governor of Sevastopol.

Russian emergency services were determining how to remove explosive materials from the site, Mr Razvozhayev said.

“Specialists from the Sevastopol emergency services are now on site and a decision will be taken on moving explosive materials,” he said, adding that all forces and services remain on “full combat alert”.

The Crimean peninsula, which Russia illegally annexed from Ukraine in 2014, has been a frequent target since Vladimir Putin ordered the invasion in February 2022. Crimea has served as a key Russian hub in the war.

In a separate attack in the early hours of Wednesday, the ministry said Ukraine hit Russian territories in the border areas with a total of 31 drones.

“Air defence systems on duty over the territory of the Belgorod, Bryansk, and Kursk regions intercepted and destroyed 31 Ukrainian aircraft- type unmanned aerial vehicles,” the ministry said on its official Telegram channel.

Ukrainian officials have not issued a comment on the reported attacks. It has generally maintained silence on the offensive on Russia and Russian-controlled territories that Moscow blames on Kyiv.

However, it has routinely maintained that targeting Russian infrastructure in its region aids the military counteroffensive launched against the full-scale invasion.

Last week Russia accused Ukraine’s Western allies of helping plan and conduct a missile strike on the Black Sea Fleet’s headquarters on the annexed Crimean Peninsula.

“There is no doubt that the attack had been planned in advance using Western intelligence means, Nato satellite assets and reconnaissance planes and was implemented upon the advice of American and British security agencies and in close coordination with them,” Russian foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said at a briefing.