WATCH Russian Navy destroy Ukrainian sea drones moving toward Crimea

Helicopters of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet have sunk more than a dozen remotely-piloted boats launched by Ukraine in the direction of Crimea, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Thursday.

At least three groups of unmanned sea vessels (USV) were spotted on approach to the peninsula during the day. Naval attack helicopters were dispatched to deal with the threat and sank a total of 15 sea drones, the Russian military said.

The first attack happened around 2pm local time, according to the Defense Ministry. Helicopters of the Black Sea Fleet sank 11 drones using their on-board guns. One more drone was spotted and dispatched within the next hour as well.

Another attempted attack was detected around 7:30pm local time, when three USVs were detected approaching Crimea. They, too, were destroyed by Black Sea Fleet helicopters.

A minute-long video filmed by one helicopter crew was shared on Telegram later in the day, showing the destruction of several drone boats.

Ukrainian forces have intensified attacks with sea and air drones, as well as long-range missiles provided by the US and its allies, as Russian troops continued to advance along the entire front line. Kiev has admitted that the situation is especially difficult in Kharkov Region, which Ukraine has used for months as a launching pad for drone and missile attacks on the Russian city of Belgorod.