Alert in Crimea. "Russians have mobilized helicopters"
1:06 PM EST, November 17, 2023
A series of explosions have been reported in Russia. The blasts were heard in various locations, including the temporarily occupied region of Crimea. The Kremlin authorities have commented on the incident.
Reports of the explosions in Russia first came to light Friday morning through the media. Residents of Bakhchisarai took to social media to share that they heard explosion sounds.
"Russians have mobilized helicopters," - was reported on the "Krymskij Wieter" Telegram channel.
An explosion also took place in a radiator factory in Volgograd, resulting in injuries to two people.
In light of reports about subsequent explosions, Andrii Yermak, the chief of staff for the President of Ukraine, posted a concise message online.
Alert in Sevastopol: Russians respond
Around 10:40 Moscow time, or 2:40 AM Eastern Time, an air defense alert was issued in the Sevastopol area.
The Russian Ministry of Defense reported that "air defense systems of the Black Sea Fleet detected targets off the coast of the Crimean Peninsula".
According to Kremlin authorities, "two Ukrainian Neptun anti-ship missiles" have been destroyed. Photos documenting the aftermath of a drone attack have been posted online.
Mikhail Razvozhaev, the governor of Russian-occupied Sevastopol, stated that "no damages occurred" as a result of the attack.
