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Blasts Reported Near Russian Air Base In Crimea As Moscow Again Hits Ukraine's Energy Grid [1]
["Rfe Rl'S Ukrainian Service"]
Date: 2023-01
Explosions were reported in the vicinity of Russia’s Belbek military airfield on Ukraine’s occupied Crimean Peninsula on January 4, while Moscow renewed its air attacks on Ukrainian civilian infrastructure despite Kyiv’s successes downing Russian drones.
The Russia-installed head of the port city of Sevastopol, Mikhail Razvozhayev, claimed on Telegram that two drones had been shot down by Russian forces. RFE/RL cannot confirm that report.
Belbek is home to the 38th fighter regiment of the Russian Air Force. It was targeted by a drone attack in August 2022. Since then, air defenses in Crimea have been activated regularly. The occupation head of the peninsula, Sergei Aksyonov, has said drone attacks are the “main threat” in the area.
The Ukrainian General Staff reported on January 4 that Russia has launched dozens of air and missile strikes, many of which targeted civilian infrastructure in Kramatorsk, Zaporizhzhya, and Kherson. Air-raid sirens were heard in many locations across the country overnight.
The Ukrainian military reported on January 3 that it had shot down 84 Russian drones on December 31-January 1.
“We have never achieved such results,” Air Force spokesman Yuriy Ihnat said during a telephone briefing. “We have shot down nearly 500 drones since September.”
Russia has carried out intense air strikes against Ukraine’s energy system since October, causing widespread blackouts and shortages of heating and water.
In addition, the Ukrainian side reported fighting in several districts of the partially occupied eastern regions of Donetsk and Luhansk.
Live Briefing: Russia's Invasion Of Ukraine RFE/RL's Live Briefing gives you all of the latest developments on Russia's ongoing invasion, Kyiv's counteroffensive, Western military aid, global reaction, and the plight of civilians. For all of RFE/RL's coverage of the war, click here.
During a conference in Lisbon on January 4, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said Berlin was seeking additional ways to help Ukraine protect its civilians and infrastructure and emphasized the need for European unity and resolve regarding the war.
“This year, we must protect and further develop the joint European unity that made us strong last year,” Baerbock said.
In Russia’s central Samara region on January 3, residents mourned the loss of local soldiers who were killed in one of Ukraine’s deadliest strikes in the Donetsk region town of Makiyivka on December 31.
Moscow has acknowledged that 89 soldiers were killed in the attack, while Ukraine’s military and pro-Kremlin military bloggers have said that around 400 soldiers died or were wounded in the artillery strike.
Russia’s Defense Ministry on January 3 claimed that Ukraine targeted the soldiers by geolocating their mobile phones when in use.
Ruslan Leviyev, the founder of Conflict Intelligence Team, an open-source intelligence firm, told RFE/RL it is unclear how Ukraine's armed forces discovered the location of the troops, saying they may have been tipped off by local residents or intelligence operatives.
The attack was among the deadliest assaults carried out by Ukraine since Russia launched its unprovoked massive invasion of the country last February.
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[1] Url:
https://www.rferl.mobi/a/crimea--belbek-airbase-explosions-ukraine-energy/32207336.html
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