SBU hits Russian air defenses and military airfields in occupied Crimea

According to preliminary information, the strike on the Saky military airfield hit four hangars used to store aircraft.

Near Kerch, the operation also struck two weapons units belonging to an S-400 air defense missile system, as well as two Pantsir-S1 air defense missile and gun systems, the SBU said. It added that this was the fourth Pantsir-S1 system hit by the Alpha unit in that area.

“Russian occupiers are losing control of the skies over Crimea. Every destroyed air defense system and every hit military airfield opens new opportunities for further Ukrainian strikes on the enemy’s military infrastructure,” the SBU said.

Isolating Crimea

Earlier, Digital Transformation Minister Mykhailo Fedorov said Crimea is turning into an island because of the large-scale isolation of the peninsula by drones. According to him, that could lead to unexpected consequences for Russian forces.

Back in May, restrictions were introduced in Crimea on the sale of AI-95 gasoline, limiting purchases to no more than 20 liters per person per day because of Ukrainian drone strikes on Russia’s oil industry facilities.

Against that backdrop, Russian logistics in occupied parts of the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia oblasts, as well as Crimea, also suffered and became “partially paralyzed,” as Ukrainian forces sharply increased drone attacks on Russian military transport. Ukrainian drones in particular struck the Dzhankoy checkpoint and bridges near Chonhar, which links Crimea with Kherson Oblast.

Overnight into June 21, Ukraine’s Defense Forces attacked Russian targets in Crimea. Oil depots, a terminal, gas infrastructure, air defense elements and Russian logistics came under attack.

Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces commander Robert “Magyar” Brovdi urged Ukrainians to stay away from military sites on the peninsula and apologized “for the constant alerts, closed bridges and roads, darkness, noise and stress.”