Ukraine says Russian push likely as ‘drones hit Crimea’

| August 26, 2023

Russia is regrouping in the eastern part of Ukraine in order to resume an offensive, Ukrainian Colonel-General Oleksandr Syrskyi says.

“After a month of fierce fighting and significant losses in the Kupiansk and Lyman directions, the enemy is regrouping its forces and means, simultaneously throwing newly formed brigades and divisions from the territory of the Russian Federation,” Syrskyi, who is commander of the Ukrainian military’s ground forces, said in his Telegram channel.

Syrskyi said that the main goal of these measures was to “increase the level of combat potential and resume active offensive operations”.

Syrskyi did not provide details of the Russian regrouping but said the forces continued heavy artillery and mortar shelling and air assaults.

“Under such conditions, we must promptly take all measures to strengthen our defences on the threatened lines and advance where possible,” the general said.

Kupiansk, a town with a pre-war population of about 27,000, was seized by Russian forces in the early days of the February 2022 invasion before Ukrainian troops recaptured it in a lightning offensive last September.

Regional authorities announced a mandatory evacuation order for the area near the Kupiansk front earlier this month due to daily Russian shelling.

Reuters could not independently verify the battlefield reports. 

Ukrainian media reported on Friday evening that the country’s SBU security service and the armed forces had launched a large-scale drone attack on Russian military positions in occupied Crimea.

Dozens of Russian troops were killed and injured, the internet news portal Ukrainska Pravda reported on Friday citing sources at the SBU.

A photo of smoke clouds was also published.

According to the report, the 126th Brigade of the Russian Black Sea Fleet was attacked in the village of Perevalne, not far from Crimea’s capital Simferopol.

Other Ukrainian media also reported on the operation, saying drones were able to bypass Russian air defences and hit an ammunition depot along with other military equipment.

The sources speaking to Ukrainian media suggested that the Russian occupation forces were caught unprepared.

There was no immediate information offered by Ukrainian or Russian officials.

Battlefield claims are difficult to independently verify.

The Russian Defence Ministry and the occupation authorities in Crimea often boast of shooting down Ukrainian drones.

Ukraine has been increasingly targeting targets on the Black Sea peninsula annexed by Russia back in 2014.

with DPA