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Ukraine launched aerial and seaborne drones on the Russian-controlled Crimean port city of Kerch, media reported and the Russian military confirmed early Friday.
Residents reported hearing explosions near the Zaliv shipyard and a residential neighborhood in Kerch, according to the Ukrainian Telegram channel Crimean Wind.
It said traffic was temporarily halted on the Crimea Bridge, the Russian-built crossing that links the annexed Black Sea peninsula to mainland Russia across the Kerch Strait.
The Krym.Realii news website said its readers heard three explosions in the same area, as well as near the Kerch Bridge, at intervals of between 10 and 20 minutes starting at 7 a.m. local time.
“The first two sounded like explosions, one sounded like air defense work,” Krym.Realii, the local affiliate of the U.S.-funded RFE/RL news outlet, quoted its readers as saying.
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The Moscow Times could not independently verify the reports.
Neither Ukrainian authorities nor Crimea’s Russian-installed governor have commented on the reported drone strikes.
Russia’s military said its air defense systems shot down one Ukrainian drone over Crimea and the Navy’s Black Sea fleet destroyed two surface drones approaching the peninsula overnight.
Six more Ukrainian uncrewed surface vessels were discovered and destroyed in the Black Sea on Friday morning, the Russian Defense Ministry said later.
Ukraine has launched multiple attacks and attempted attacks on the Kerch Bridge since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022.
Russia annexed Crimea in 2014 and opened the Kerch Bridge in 2018.
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