Russian Defense Ministry Repels Ukrainian Drone Attack Over Crimea

On Friday, Russia repelled a Ukrainian attack over the Crimean Peninsula, asserting that 36 UAVs were shot down in the region.

The Russian Defence Ministry said on Telegram that air defense systems destroyed and intercepted 36 Ukrainian drones over Crimea, a region annexed by Russia in 2014.

The official statement highlighted another Ukrainian drone was destroyed over Russia's western Krasnodar region.

Throughout the ongoing conflict, Kyiv has consistently targeted the Russian-controlled territory, launching missiles and drones at Sevastopol, Crimea's largest city, to suppress Russia's Black Sea naval fleet.

On Thursday, Kyiv claimed responsibility for targeting a Russian command post near Sevastopol, resulting in one person wounded.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, in his New Year's address, expressed a commitment to increasing domestic weapons production and vowed to unleash "wrath" against Russian forces in 2024. Meanwhile, Russian leader Vladimir Putin pledged to intensify strikes on Ukraine following an unprecedented attack on the Russian city of Belgorod over the weekend.