Previous attacks on Russian-occupied Crimea
Russia and Ukraine
France’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement that the missile strikes carried out by Russia on Friday that killed a child in western Ukraine constitute “war crimes and must not go unpunished.”
Reuters, AFP
Posted on: August 12, 2023: 06:29 AM GST Last updated: August 12, 2023: 08:46 AM GST
Russian news agencies quoted the Ministry of Defense as saying that Russia destroyed 20 Ukrainian drones after launching them over the Crimean peninsula, in the early hours of Saturday morning.
The agency attributed to the ministry that the Russian air defense systems shot down 14 drones, while the electronic warfare system shot down 6 planes.
Crimean transport authorities said on Telegram that traffic was suspended for two hours on the Crimean Bridge from 1:30 am (2230 GMT). The Crimean Bridge connects Crimea with the Krasnodar region of Russia.
Crimea Bridge
Drone attacks on Russian-occupied territories in Ukraine and in the Russian hinterland have increased since the destruction of a drone over the Kremlin in early May.
Ukraine has never claimed responsibility for those attacks, but maintains that destroying Russian infrastructure is crucial to its counterattack against Russian forces.
Moscow annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014, eight years before Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February last year.
In Moscow, officials said on Friday that they had destroyed a drone that was targeting the capital, in the latest attack on the city in recent days.
The Ministry of Defense stated that a Ukrainian drone was destroyed over the western regions of Moscow, adding that there were no casualties or damage.
And in July, Ukrainian drones targeted an ammunition depot in Crimea and damaged the Kerch Strait bridge linking the peninsula to mainland Russia.
In addition, the French Foreign Ministry said in a statement that the missile strikes carried out by Russia, earlier Friday, that killed a child in western Ukraine, constitute “war crimes and must not go unpunished.”
“These attacks once again targeted civilian infrastructure, including a residential area, which is a flagrant violation of international human rights,” the statement said. Moscow denies deliberately targeting civilians.
The French Foreign Ministry added that France will intensify its military support to Ukraine, especially with regard to strengthening its air defense capabilities, in close cooperation with its partners.
“France continues to fully support the Ukrainian and international judicial authorities in their efforts to combat impunity for crimes committed by Russia in Ukraine,” the statement said.
On Friday, Russia launched 4 Kinjal hypersonic missiles at the Ivano-Frankivsk region in western Ukraine, three of which landed near a military airport and in a residential area.
The Ukrainian Air Force stated that the air defenses shot down the fourth missile.
On Friday, the Russian army announced that it had once again “reinforced” its positions in northeastern Ukraine, as its attack prompted local authorities, Thursday, to evacuate civilians.
The Russian army was expelled from the city of Kobyansk and its surroundings with a lightning Ukrainian counter-attack in September 2022, after it had controlled it since the beginning of the war.
A few weeks ago, Russian forces resumed their offensive in this region, steadily declaring control of territory.
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2023-08-12 02:29:00
