Camilla Jessen
A Ukrainian drone strike overnight reportedly ignited a Russian ammunition depot near Perevalne in Crimea.
Overnight strikes in occupied Crimea have reportedly ignited a major fire at a Russian ammunition depot near the village of Perevalne, in what may be one of the most damaging drone attacks in recent months.
The resistance group Crimean Wind reported that the depot belonged to the 126th Separate Coastal Defense Brigade of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet.
Multiple explosions were heard, and large fires broke out—though Russian authorities have not officially confirmed damage to the base.
Sevastopol’s Russian-installed governor, Mikhail Razvozhayev, confirmed that air defenses were active over the Black Sea and said six drones were shot down.
“The loud sounds heard in the city were the work of our military,” he said on Telegram.
The Russian Ministry of Defense later announced that 65 Ukrainian drones were intercepted in total—43 over the Black Sea, 21 over Crimea, and one over the Belgorod region.
Despite the claims, visual and on-the-ground reports suggest that some drones made it through.
The Ukrainian partisan group Atesh claimed responsibility for tracking the target and reported that explosions occurred not just at the 126th brigade’s depot but also at the nearby 8th Separate Artillery Regiment, both located in Perevalne.
“There are reports of Russian soldiers killed while on duty at the depot,” the group said.
Fires Still Burning Hours After Strike
According to Crimea.Realities, the base is known to house ammunition, fuel, and military vehicles. It had previously been targeted in March and August 2023. Atesh stated their agents monitored the site throughout 2024 and noted that the base lacked significant air defense systems.
As of 9:36 a.m., Ukrainian official Andrii Kovalenko, head of the Center for Countering Disinformation, said fires were still burning at the military site.
The attack in Crimea comes amid a broader wave of Ukrainian drone strikes overnight, which reportedly targeted key military facilities deeper inside Russia—including defense plants and airbases that house strategic bombers and missiles.