Russia said Wednesday it had destroyed four Ukrainian naval drones approaching Crimea in the Black Sea and downed three aerial unmanned vehicles over the annexed peninsula.
Ukraine has aimed to increase pressure on Russian forces in the Black Sea by launching drone and missile attacks on military installations in and around the peninsula.
“Four unmanned Ukrainian Navy vessels were detected in the western part of the Black Sea heading towards the Crimean peninsula,” the defence ministry said in a statement.
In a separate statement, it said: “Three Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles were destroyed over the territory of the Republic of Crimea by air defence units on duty.”
Since a UN-brokered deal guaranteeing safe passage for civilian ships collapsed in July, both Kyiv and Moscow have ramped up military activity and attacks in the Black Sea.
