Russian air defenses have destroyed six more Ukrainian drones over Crimea in addition to the 26 previously destroyed on Friday, resulting in a total of 32 drones, the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement.
"On December 15, 2023, from 23:00 to 23:50 Moscow time [8 pm - 8:50 pm GMT], an attempt by the Kiev regime to carry out a terrorist attack using aircraft-type UAVs on facilities in Crimea was stopped. Six more Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles were destroyed by air defense systems on duty," the ministry said.
The ministry said earlier that Russia’s air defense systems destroyed 26 Ukrainian drones over the Crimean Peninsula on Friday from 20:30 to 22:30 Moscow time (05:30 - 07:30 pm GMT).
"Today [on Friday], from 20.30 to 22.30 Moscow time, the Kiev regime’s attempt to carry out a terrorist attack using fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles on facilities in the territory of the Republic of Crimea was thwarted. Russian air defense systems destroyed 26 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles over the Crimean Peninsula," the ministry said in a statement.
Since Ukraine began its counteroffensive in early June, the country has been regularly launching drones into Russian territory. UN representatives criticized this action in August and emphasized that they vehemently oppose attacking civilian infrastructure.