MOSCOW: Russia downed a barrage of 42 Ukrainian drones near Crimea, Moscow’s defense ministry said Friday, in the largest recent air attack on the peninsula and a day after Kyiv claimed a special forces raid on the territory.
Crimea, annexed by Russia in 2014, has been targeted by Kyiv throughout Moscow’s Ukraine offensive but has come under more intense, increased attacks in recent weeks.
Nine drones were “destroyed... over the territory of the Republic of Crimea,” the defense ministry wrote on Telegram early Friday.
Thirty-three others “were suppressed by electronic warfare and crashed without reaching the target,” it said, without specifying whether there had been any damage or casualties.
Earlier, a local Russian-installed official said several drones had been destroyed over the sea off Crimea’s Cape Khersones.
The cape is located in the southwest of the peninsula near Sevastopol, which is home to Russia’s Black Sea fleet.
Emergency services reported no damage to civilian infrastructure from those drones, Sevastopol governor Mikhail Razvozhayev wrote on Telegram.
It was not clear whether they were included in the 42 reported by the defense ministry.
“All forces and services are in a state of combat readiness,” Razvozhayev said.
Kyiv has repeatedly said it plans to take Crimea back.
In recent weeks it has targeted Russian infrastructure on the peninsula with barrages of up to 28 aerial drones.
On Thursday, Ukraine said its forces had landed on the peninsula and flown the country’s flag during a “special operation” to mark its second wartime Independence Day.
Special forces troops had landed overnight on Crimea’s western shore near the towns of Olenivka and Mayak, where they had “engaged in combat,” Ukraine’s GUR intelligence agency said.
Moscow has also accused Ukraine of attacking the Russian-built Crimean bridge, which connects the peninsula to Russia.
The bridge has been closed due to multiple incidents including a massive explosion in October last year.
Reports of the aerial attack come as the Pentagon said it would begin training Ukrainian F-16 pilots in the United States starting next month.
The jets have long been sought by Kyiv, now bogged down in a plodding counter-offensive aimed at retaking land held by Russian forces.
US President Joe Biden and Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky spoke on Thursday about plans to train Ukrainian pilots to fly F-16 fighter jets, the White House said.
Earlier, Biden had said he was “not surprised” at news that Yevgeny Prigozhin, head of the Wagner mercenary group and who led a brief mutiny against Russia’s military, may have died in a plane crash.
“I don’t know for a fact what happened, but I’m not surprised,” Biden said.
Putin broke his silence Thursday on news of the crash, paying a qualified tribute to the mercenary boss and the paramilitary group he led.
“He was a man of complicated fate, and he made serious mistakes in his life, but he achieved the right results,” Putin said.
Air defense systems destroyed a Ukrainian missile over Kaluga region, Moscow’s defense ministry said Friday.
Kaluga borders the Moscow region, which has been targeted by a barrage of Ukrainian drone attacks in recent days after Kyiv vowed to “return” the conflict to Russia.
Flights to and from Moscow’s Vnukovo and Domodedovo airports were briefly halted, the TASS news agency reported Friday, citing aviation services and without specifying why.
Russia destroys 42 Ukrainian-launched drones over Crimea
https://arab.news/ysu65
Russia destroys 42 Ukrainian-launched drones over Crimea
- No damage to civilian infrastructure reported
Britain’s King Charles honors UK train attack ‘hero’ Samir Zitouni
- Zitouni was hailed a hero for protecting passengers during a knife attack on a train in England last month
LONDON: King Charles met “heroic ” British-Arab train guard Samir Zitouni at a reception at Buckingham Palace on Wednesday.
Zitouni was hailed a hero for protecting passengers during a knife attack on a train in England last month.
The king was pictured shaking hands with Zitouni, who was seriously injured when he intervened as an attacker stabbed passengers on a Doncaster to London service on Nov. 1.
The train was diverted to Huntingdon station in Cambridgeshire following the incident.
Known as Sam to friends, Zitouni attended the reception with his wife, Eleni Sakkoulei, alongside members of the public and railway staff who displayed exceptional bravery during the attack.
The suspect arrested in connection with the incident has been charged with multiple offenses, including possession of a bladed article on Nov. 1, as well as other offenses in the hours leading up to the attack.
He remains in custody pending court hearings scheduled for next year.
A GoFundMe page set up to support Zitouni, who has worked for LNER for more than 20 years, has raised almost £80,000 ($107,000).
In a statement shared on the crowdfunding page, Zitouni’s wife said he “acted as a shield to protect the lives of others,” adding that he would do the same “for anyone, regardless of color, age, gender, religion or origin.”
Fund organizer Gemma Royce said the appeal was launched while Zitouni was in critical condition in hospital, to allow the family to focus on his recovery.
LNER managing director David Horne said Zitouni’s actions were “incredibly brave,” adding that the company was proud of all staff who showed courage during the incident.
UK Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said Mr. Zitouni had gone to work to do his job and “left a hero,” while shadow transport secretary Richard Holden said he would be nominating him for a gallantry award.
