Ukrainian forces claim destruction of drone base in southern Russia

Ukrainian forces have destroyed aerial drone facilities in the southern Russian region of Krasnodar, the Ukrainian navy reported on its Telegram channel on Sunday.

Satellite images had confirmed the destruction of storage depots, training facilities and control points for drones in the region, which lies to the east of the Crimean Peninsula, it said, publishing photos to provide evidence.

The mission had been accomplished by a Ukrainian drone attack launched on Thursday night together with the SBU intelligence service, the report said.

The Russian Defence Ministry reported warding off a major drone attack in southern Russia at the time. But Krasnodar Governor Veniamin Kondratyev reported several strikes, adding that a boiler and an oil refinery had been hit by fragments of downed drones.

According to the information from Kiev, drone trainers and their trainees were killed in the strikes.

Aerial drones have emerged as among the most important weapons on both sides in the 28-month war. Russian drones, missiles and glide bombs have caused devastating damage on the Ukrainian side, to electrical power installations in particular.