- Ukraine says Russian air defenses accidentally shot down a Russian warplane over Crimea during drone interception.
- Explosions and fires were reported overnight near Simferopol, including at a Russian oil depot in Hvardiiske.
- Several areas in occupied Crimea lost power after drone strikes damaged multiple electrical substations.
Ukrainian defense officials claim that Russian forces shot down their own military aircraft over Crimea during an attempted interception of drones, according to a statement by Navy spokesperson Dmytro Pletenchuk.
“So actively were they trying to repel Ukrainian attacks that they ended up shooting down their own aircraft today over Crimea,” Pletenchuk said. “The fight continues. At the moment, they’re gathering all available information on the ground in Crimea,” he added.
The Ukrainian Navy did not specify the type of aircraft allegedly downed, nor the fate of the crew.
Later, a report emerged stating that “At about 3:00 a.m., during an air defense alert mission, a Su-30SM that had taken off from the airfield in Tikhoretsk was shot down as a result of friendly fire.”
The incident reportedly occurred during heightened Russian air defense activity over occupied Crimea, amid an ongoing wave of Ukrainian drone and missile strikes targeting military infrastructure across the peninsula.
The report comes after explosions were heard overnight in the Simferopol and Simferopol district areas. According to Ukrainian sources, a Russian oil depot in Hvardiiske caught fire following one of the strikes. Satellite imagery and open-source monitoring of the site have yet to confirm the extent of the damage, and Russian authorities have not commented on the cause of the blaze.
In a statement cited by Ukrainian media outlet Militarnyi, several electrical substations in occupied Crimea were also damaged, leading to widespread power outages across multiple towns and settlements. At present, several areas of the peninsula remain without electricity following the drone attacks.
While Kyiv has not officially claimed responsibility for each individual strike, Ukrainian officials have previously confirmed the use of long-range drones and missiles to target military logistics, fuel depots, and air defense systems on the peninsula.
The Russian Ministry of Defense has not issued any formal response regarding the downed aircraft claim or the reported infrastructure damage. In past incidents involving friendly fire or accidental losses, Russian state outlets have typically delayed or downplayed confirmation.
The latest attacks come amid broader Ukrainian efforts to pressure Russian logistics and military operations in Crimea—territory annexed by Russia in 2014 and now a frequent target of Ukrainian long-range operations. The peninsula remains a critical hub for Russian forces supplying operations in southern Ukraine.