Fire breaks out in occupied Sevastopol bay following drone attack

Multiple Ukrainian drone attacks reportedly struck Russian-occupied Crimea and several Russian regions overnight on 31 December, according to various Russian official sources.

This year, Ukraine has intensified its long-range drone attacks against the military and fuel facilities within Russia, significantly disrupting fuel and ammunition supplies crucial for the Russian military. Many of such attacks targeted Russian bomb warehouses at airbases, ammunition depots, fuel processing and storage facilities deep inside Russia. Meanwhile, Russia continues its relentless nightly drone, missile, and bomb attacks on Ukraine, with strikes intensifying in recent months.

The Russian Defense Ministry claimed that overnight air defenses allegedly destroyed 68 Ukrainian drones. It stated that 25 drones were shot down over Bryansk Oblast, 17 over Crimea, 11 over Krasnodar Krai, 10 over Smolensk Oblast, two over Tver Oblast, and one each over Rostov, Kursk, and Kaluga Oblasts. The Russian claims often lack credibility.

The Ministry also claimed that its Black Sea Fleet destroyed eight unmanned naval vessels, refusing to mention that a Ukrainian naval drone shot down a Russian Mi-8 gunship helicopter off the Crimean coast.

Ukrainian sea drone downs Russian helicopter in historic first (video)

In Sevastopol, a series of explosions occurred as Russian air defenses allegedly engaged several aerial targets over the sea and a maritime drone, according to Mikhail Razvozhaev, the head of the Russian occupation administration in Sevastopol.

The Crimean Wind Telegram channel reported that the drone attack resulted in a fire in Sevastopol’s Kozacha bay area. The channel later claimed that a Russian Tor air defense system was destroyed near Kazachya Bay, though Ukrainian military command has not officially confirmed this information.

Other attacks

Sergey Menyaylo, Head of North Ossetia-Alania, claimed that air defense forces shot down a drone over the Shalkhi military range. The incident led to a drone threat alert being declared across North Caucasus Federal District regions at 4:00, with Vladikavkaz airport closing for arrivals and departures.

Notably, Ossetia has not been mentioned in the Russian Defense Ministry’s report.

Further disruptions occurred in Kazan, where the airport temporarily suspended operations at 7:30 Kyiv time for flight safety, according to Rosaviation representative Korenyako. Operations resumed at 8:30 Kyiv time, though two flights had to be diverted to another airport during the closure.

Additionally, Ukrainian drones struck a Russian oil deport in Smolensk Oblast, triggering a fire.

Fire engulfs Smolensk oil depot in Russia after alleged drone strike (video)

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