Ukrainian drone shot down over Crimean airport

The mayor of Sevastopol, Crimea’s largest city, has reported that a Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicle was shot down by air defense systems in the vicinity of the city airport.

“According to preliminary data, recently in the vicinity of the Belbek airfield an unmanned aerial vehicle was shot down by air defense systems,” Mikhail Razvozzhaev posted on his Telegram channel late on Thursday.

The official added that there have been no reports of casualties or material damage as a result of the incident. 

Even though the drone attack was apparently foiled, the mayor noted that pro-Ukrainian groups on social media had already begun peddling messages about a “successful” attack. Razvozzhaev called on Sevastopol residents to keep calm and only trust official sources of information. 

Meanwhile, Reuters has reported at least four explosions in Sevastopol, citing eyewitnesses. Ukrainian journalist, Anatoly Shariy – a vocal critic of the Kiev government – claimed on his Telegram channel that some of the explosions were so loud that people heard them ten kilometers away from the airfield.  

The Belbek airfield has been used exclusively by the Russian air force since Crimea rejoined Russia in 2014.