Crimea Faces Drone Blitz as Ukraine Urges Locals to Resist Russians

Nine drones were downed above Crimea on Wednesday night, according to Moscow-installed occupation authorities. It was the latest unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) salvo against Russian forces on the peninsula as Ukraine looks to isolate and—eventually—liberate the region.

Crimea chief Sergey Aksyonov wrote on his Telegram channel on Thursday that "nine drones were seen over Crimea's territory: six were downed by air defense systems, and three were jammed and forced to land by electronic warfare means."

"One drone detonated in the village of Dokuchayevo," Aksyonov added. "No one was hurt. Windows were broken in several houses." Newsweek has contacted the Russian Defense Ministry by email to request comment.

Aerial and naval drone waves—which are suspected to be the work of Ukraine, but with which officials in Kyiv routinely deny any involvement—have become relatively common during the 16 months of full-scale war.

The fiercest combat is taking place to the north and east of the occupied peninsula, but Ukraine has made clear that it sees the liberation of Crimea—the jewel in the crown of Putin's neo-imperial Russia—as central to any eventual peace deal.

Freeing the peninsula will take time, though Ukrainian political and military officials have said they cannot estimate exactly when liberation will be feasible. In the meantime, Kyiv's nascent counteroffensive is pushing into occupied southern Ukraine, seemingly aiming towards the strategic city of Melitopol and the Sea of Azov coastline beyond.

Reaching the coast would cut Russia's "land bridge" to Crimea. It would limit supplies to Russian forces there and allow Ukrainian long-range weapons to strike targets across the peninsula.

While Ukrainian units fight to the north, Ukraine's Defense Intelligence agency is urging pro-Kyiv resistance groups in Crimea to contribute. The body released a statement on Wednesday. It called on Crimean residents to provide information about Russian military, political, and commercial activities, as well as key military positions and supply hubs.

"Ukrainians who are currently under occupation, we remind you that you can bring the liberation of our lands by Ukraine's defense forces closer," the statement read.

"Thanks to you, we can not only crush the enemy but also save the lives of our soldiers and civilians. Your contribution might be decisive in restoring Ukraine's territorial integrity within its 1991 borders."

"Ukraine will inevitably reclaim Crimea," it added. "The more information we have, the sooner [Crimea] will be liberated."

Local resistance is on the up, according to the Yellow Ribbon civil resistance movement. The group—formed in April 2022 after Russia's invasion of swathes of south and eastern Ukraine—puts up yellow ribbons around occupied areas, as well as distributing posters and leaflets seeking to undermine Russian narratives.

A post on the group's Telegram channel read that yellow ribbons are appearing "en masse" across Crimea, including in the cities of Simferopol, Sevastopol, Yalta, and Feodosia.

"We managed to distribute more than 400 ribbons. Yes, it was difficult, because ruscists [a term popularized in Ukraine meaning Russian fascists] are stepping up counterintelligence measures, they are afraid of Ukrainian resistance, so they are installing cameras at every turn," the post read.