Russia shoots down nine Ukrainian drones over Crimea, Moscow official says

Russia’s air defence forces and fleet in the Black Sea intercepted nine Ukrainian drones over the Crimean port of Sevastopol early on Sunday, a Moscow-installed official said.

“No objects, either in the city or in the water area were damaged,” said Mikhail Razvozhayev, the Moscow-installed governor of Sevastopol.

Two aerial drones were shot down over the sea, five were intercepted by Russia’s electronic warfare forces and two water surface drones were destroyed on the outer shore, Razvozhayev added.

The strikes were over the harbour of Sevastopol and the city’s Balaklava and Khersones districts.

Maritime transport, including passenger ferries, was suspended for several hours early on Sunday, authorities said.

There was no immediate comment from Ukraine on the attack on the Crimean peninsula, which Russia annexed from Ukraine in 2014.

A view of the yacht marina at the city of Balaklava in Sevastopol, Crimea. Photograph: Anadolu Agency/Getty Images