Two Ukrainian missiles intercepted over Crimea – regional leader

Two ballistic missiles were shot down by air defenses over Russia’s Crimea early on Saturday, according to the head of the region.

Sergey Aksyonov said the missiles were fired at the peninsula by Kiev’s forces, from a Ukrainian-made Grom-2 system.

The official noted that there were no casualties or destruction resulting from the attack.

“I ask everyone to remain calm and trust only reliable sources of information,” Aksyonov wrote, addressing the Crimean population.

Grom-2 (thunder) is a Ukrainian short-range ballistic missile system that combines the features of a tactical missile system and a multiple rocket launcher. The development of the hardware began in the mid-2010s. Its latest version, which is intended for export, is said to have a range of 280 kilometers (174 miles).

Crimean authorities also reported a strike using Grom-2 in early May. It also involved two missiles, which were both shot down, they said.

Crimea, which overwhelmingly voted to reunite with Russia in 2014 after a Western-backed coup in Kiev, has been a frequent target of Ukrainian attacks since the conflict between Moscow and Kiev broke out in February 2022.

The incursions mainly involve drones – both aerial and naval ones – targeting the port city of Sevastopol, which hosts the headquarters of the Black Sea Fleet, as well as other settlements on the peninsula.