Ukraine says it hit three Russian air defence systems in occupied Crimea

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(Reuters) – Ukraine’s military said on Wednesday it had hit three Russian surface-to-air missile systems in Russian-occupied Crimea overnight, its second reported strike on air defences on the peninsula this week.

The strikes targeted an S-300 system and two more advanced S-400 systems near Belbek and Sevastopol, Ukraine’s general staff said.

“As a result of the strikes, two radars of the S-300 and S-400 complexes were destroyed. Information about the third radar is being clarified,” it said on Telegram.

The Russian-installed governor of Sevastopol said that air defences repelled the missile attack overnight and that no damage had been done.

Local social media chats reported explosions on the Black Sea peninsula. Reuters could not independently verify the reports.

Ukraine’s general staff also said the attack had caused munitions to detonate at all three sites struck.

On Monday, Ukraine’s military said it hit three air defence systems near Yevpatoriya and Chornomorske on the peninsula, also damaging radars.

Over the last two years of Russia’s full-scale invasion, Ukraine has carried out multiple air and naval strikes on Russian targets in Crimea and caused significant damage to Moscow’s fleet in the Black Sea.

Russia forcibly annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014 and regards it now as an integral part of its territory. Kyiv has vowed to drive Russian forces from Crimea as well as from other Ukrainian territory currently held by Moscow.

(Reporting by Yuliia Dysa; Editing by Andrew Heavens and Gareth Jones)