Ukraine updates: Russia repels drone attack on Crimea
Published September 17, 2023last updated September 17, 2023
What you need to know
Russia says its forces fended off a drone attack on Crimea in the early hours of Sunday morning.
Ukraine has repeatedly attacked Russian bases on the peninsula, which Russia illegally annexed the peninsula in 2014.
Taking back Crimea, the base of Russia's Black Sea Fleet, is a major goal of Ukraine's counteroffensive.
There were also reports of attacks in Russia itself.
Here are the headlines concerning Russia's war on Ukraine on Sunday, September 17:
Ukraine says it has retaken Klishchiivka near Bakhmut
A Kyiv military official said on Sunday that the village of Klishchiivka near Bakhmut is back under Ukrainian control.
"Klishchiivka was cleared of Russians," Oleksandr Syrsky, commander of the Ukrainian military's ground forces, said on social media.
Retaking Klishchiivka would be a significant blow to Moscow and is seen as a tactically important town south of Bakhmut.
Russia attacks Odesa region with drones, missiles
Early on Sunday, Russia attacked Ukrainian territories in the Odesa region with drones and missiles, Ukraine's Air Forces said via the Telegram messaging platform.
Ukrainian officials said Russia used six Iranian-manufactured Shahed drones and 10 cruise missiles. They added that their armed forces successfully neutralized six drones and thwarted six missiles before they could reach their intended destination, announced the Air Force.
"Fighter aircraft, anti-aircraft missile units, mobile fire groups and other means of attack were involved in repelling the air attack," the Air Force said.
The attacks caused damage to a grain silo and agricultural fields in the Berezivskiy district, but no casualties were reported, said Odesa's governor, Oleh Kiper.
The developments in Odesa are being observed by grain markets, as Ukraine said two cargo vessels had reached there to use a temporary corridor to go into Black Sea ports and load grain for bound for African and Asian markets.
Russia says it fended off Ukraine drone attacks on Crimea
Russia's Defense Ministry said it thwarted a drone attack on Crimea in the early hours of Sunday morning.
The Russian defense ministry said at least six drones that were targeting the peninsula from different directions were destroyed. However, it did not say whether there was any damage or casualties.
Ukraine has repeatedly attacked Russian military bases in Crimea, which is sovereign Ukrainian territory, despite Russia illegally annexing the peninsula in 2014.
Taking back Crimea, which is the base of Russia's Black Sea Fleet, is a major goal of Ukraine's counteroffensive.
Ukraine has launched a series of strikes on Russian military targets in occupied Crimea and the fleet's facilities in recent days.
On Saturday, Oleksiy Danilov, the secretary of Ukraine's Security Council, urged Ukraine's allies to speed up weapons deliveries to help Kyiv achieve its aims.
"For example, the complete or partial elimination of the Russian Black Sea Fleet, which is a doable task, should significantly accelerate the process of Russia's search for a way out of the ongoing war," Danilov wrote on the Ukrainska Pravda news site.
Kim continues Russia tour with university visit
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un continued his tour of Russia's Far East on Sunday, visiting a university and watching a walrus show at an aquarium.
At the Far Eastern Federal University on Russky Island, Kim met with the university's president as well as the governor of Russia's Primorye region, Oleg Kozhemyako, and Russian Natural Resources Minister Alexander Kozlov.
Kozlov told Kim there were North Korean students studying at the university.
Kim later visited Russia's largest aquarium, the Primorsky Aquarium, where he watched performances featuring beluga whales, bottlenose dolphins, fur seals and "Misha" the walrus, which Russian media said he seemed to particularly enjoy.
Fresh drone attacks inside Russia
Russia reported two drone attacks within its territory on Sunday morning.
One drone was shot down near Moscow's Istrinsky district, the Defense Ministry said in a Telegram post.
"According to preliminary data, there was no damage or casualties at the site where the debris fell," Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said separately.
Meanwhile, a Ukrainian drone damaged an oil depot in southwestern Russia early, sparking a fire at a fuel tank that was later extinguished, the regional governor said.
"There are no casualties, all emergency services are working on the territory of the facility," said Andrei Klychkov, governor of the Oryol region, Andrei Klychkov.
He did not specify whether the depot was struck by the drone or merely hit by debris.
Kyiv typically does not claim responsibility for drone attacks on Russian soil.
zk/rc (AFP, AP, dpa, Reuters)