Early on 21 September, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) and the Ukrainian Navy conducted a fire attack on the Saky military airfield in occupied Crimea using one-way attack drones and domestic cruise missiles, according to public broadcaster Suspilne referring to its sources in the SBU.

According to the Suspilne sources, the airfield hosted at least 12 combat aircraft (Su-24 and Su-30) and the Pantsyr air defense system at the time of the attack. There was also a training base for the operators of the Iranian-made Mojaher drones, used by the Russians to coordinate their air attacks and as a combat strike drone.

“The strikes of the Security Service and the Navy hit the targets and caused serious damage to the occupiers’ equipment. Drones were used to hit the enemy, which overloaded Russian air defenses, and then Neptune missiles were launched,” the SBU source told Suspilne.

Russian telegram channels confirm serious destruction and losses, mentioning at least 30 military killed in the attack, according to a Crimea situation monitoring Telegram channel Krymskiy Veter.

Suspilne says in the early hours of 21 September, several waves of drones attacked occupied Crime. Local residents reported explosions heard in Yevpatoria, Simferopol, Sevastopol, Saky, Novofedorivka, and other settlements. Russian officials claimed that air defense forces allegedly managed to destroy 19 drones.

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