Russia said yesterday that it had repelled attacks on one of its naval ships and other targets in Crimea, while Ukraine claimed it had struck a Russian air defence system in its latest assaults on the Russian-occupied region. The attacks yesterday came one day after Ukraine’s military struck two ships that were being repaired at the headquarters of the Black Sea Fleet, in one of the boldest assaults by Ukraine on Russia’s military infrastructure in Crimea, which Russia invaded in 2014 and illegally annexed.
 
The Russian navy destroyed five Ukrainian maritime drones that were headed towards the Sergey Kotov, a patrol ship stationed in the Black Sea, the Ministry of defence said in a statement on Telegram. The ministry added that its air defences had destroyed another 11 drones over the Crimean Peninsula and did not mention any damage. The Russian claims could not be immediately verified.
 
In the meantime, Ukraine urged its people to leave Kherson follwoing Russian offensive in the city. Ukrainian officials Thursday ordered the evacuation of civilians from the southern Kherson region, partly controlled by Russian forces and regularly hit by shelling.