Ukraine's SBU and Navy strike at Saky military airfield in occupied Crimea - media

This was reported by AFU StratCom.

The Defense Forces have confirmed striking a military airfield in Crimea: "On the night of September 21, the Defense Forces struck at the occupiers' military airfield near the city of Saky in the temporarily occupied Crimea."

Earlier, NV, Suspilne Krym, and Censor.NET reported this with reference to their own sources.

It is noted that at that time there were at least 12 combat aircraft (Su-24 and Su-30) and Pantsyr MANPADS at the airfield. A training base for Mojaher UAV operators was also located there.

"These are the drones used by the Russians to coordinate their own air attacks, as well as a combat strike drone," the statement explained.

For this attack, the fighters used drones to overload Russian air defense and then launched Neptune missiles.

"It is interesting that even Russian Telegram channels confirm serious destruction and losses - they write about at least 30 dead soldiers," the source said.

The drone attack was first reported by Krym. Realii.

The publication notes that public media reported explosions in the Sevastopol area, Saky, Simferopol districts and Yevpatoriya.

Instead, the governor of the Oryol region, Andrey Klychkov, said that two unmanned aerial vehicles were allegedly destroyed in the region, which allegedly tried to attack the fuel and energy complex. According to preliminary reports, there were no injuries or casualties.

A telegram channel VCHK-OGPU reported on Saky, Yevpatoriya, Simferopol, Sevastopol, and Balaklava, where explosions were heard. According to local residents, shots were heard everywhere and air defense systems were operating.

Experts noted that this is the largest drone attack on Crimea since the beginning of the full-scale war between Ukraine and Russia.

Oleg Kryuchkov, an adviser to Aksyonov, was the first to comment on the massive attack among the representatives of the Russian occupation authorities of Crimea:

"We ask all Crimeans to remain calm. If you hear the sounds of a drone flying overhead or air defense, move away from the windows. Official information will follow later."

Subsequently, the Russian Defense Ministry confirmed the massive attack on Crimea, accusing the Ukrainian Armed Forces of it. They note that air defense systems destroyed 19 drones over the peninsula. In addition, according to the Russian Defense Ministry, air defense destroyed one UAV each over the Kursk, Belgorod, and Oryol regions.

The Russian-installed head of Sevastopol denied that several drones had been destroyed in the city, but confirmed the attack on other parts of the peninsula:

"Yes, air defense is working, but in the Crimean zone. In Sevastopol, all services are on alert, and the air situation is being monitored."

• On September 20, the Ukrainian Armed Forces successfully attacked the command post of the Russian Black Sea Fleet near the temporarily occupied Sevastopol.