MOSCOW: Russian authorities said Monday they had “repelled” a drone attack on the port of Sevastopol in Moscow-annexed Crimea, adding that there was no damage nor casualties.
The peninsula, seized by Russia from Ukraine in 2014, is home to Moscow’s Black Sea Fleet and has been hit by a series of drone attacks since the Kremlin’s special military operation in Ukraine in February last year.
“An attempted attack on Sevastopol was repelled from 3:30 a.m.,” the Russian-installed governor Mikhail Razvozhayev said on Telegram, adding that one unmanned surface vehicle, or drone ship, was destroyed while a second exploded.
“Everything is calm in the city. But all the troops and services are ready for combat.”
In October, Russia’s Black Sea Fleet was hit by a major drone attack that the Kremlin blamed on Ukraine.
In mid-April, Russian authorities announced there would be no celebrations on May 1 and 9 (the date of the end of WWII in Russia) in Sevastopol due to “security problems.”
Russia repels drone attack on Crimea port
https://arab.news/mrctu
Russia repels drone attack on Crimea port
- The peninsula, seized by Russia from Ukraine in 2014, is home to Moscow’s Black Sea Fleet
- In October, Russia’s Black Sea Fleet was hit by a major drone attack that the Kremlin blamed on Ukraine
France, Algeria to resume security cooperation: minister
- Algeria plays a key role in the latter, sharing borders with junta-led Niger and Mali, both gripped by terrorist violence
ALGIERS: France and Algeria agreed on Tuesday to restart security cooperation during a visit to Algiers by French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez, marking the first sign of a thaw in diplomatic ties.
After meeting with President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, Nunez said both sides had agreed to “reactivate a high-level security cooperation mechanism.”
The visit took place against a backdrop of thorny relations between France and its former colony, frayed since Paris in 2024 officially backed Moroccan sovereignty over the disputed Western Sahara region, where Algeria supports the pro-independence Polisario Front.
Nunez said Monday had been devoted to working sessions aimed at “restoring normal security relations,” including cooperation in judicial matters, policing and intelligence.
He thanked the Algerian president for instructing his services to work with French authorities to “improve cooperation on readmissions.” Algeria has for months refused to take back its nationals living irregularly in France.
The renewed cooperation is expected to take effect “as quickly as possible” and continue “at a very high level,” Nunez confirmed.
According to images released by Algerian authorities, the talks brought together senior security officials from both countries, including France’s domestic intelligence chief and Algeria’s head of internal security.
Invited by his counterpart Said Sayoud, Nunez’s trip had been planned for months but repeatedly delayed.
Both sides have a backlog of issues to tackle. Before traveling, Nunez said he intended to raise “all security issues,” including drug trafficking and counterterrorism.
Algeria plays a key role in the latter, sharing borders with junta-led Niger and Mali, both gripped by terrorist violence.
Ahead of the trip, Nunez had also mentioned the case of Christophe Gleizes, a French sports journalist serving a seven-year sentence for “glorifying terrorism.”
It is unclear whether the matter was discussed with Tebboune, from whom the journalist’s family has requested a pardon.
