On the night of August 12, 2026, powerful explosions rocked Sevastopol, which is under Russian occupation. The city was subjected to a large-scale attack by the Ukrainian Defense Forces, utilizing unmanned aerial vehicles. The official representative of the occupation administration, Mikhail Razvozhayev, confirmed the fact of a massive strike, stating that Russian air defense systems and mobile fire groups were engaged in repelling the attack.
Scale of the Attack and Air Defense Operations
According to Razvozhayev, Ukrainian drones attacked the city during the night hours. In his address to the residents, he reported that Russian military personnel and aviation attempted to neutralize the threat. Officials of the occupation authority claimed that they managed to disable more than 30 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles. However, the exact number of drones launched and the specific targets of the attack were not disclosed. Razvozhayev also reported that debris from shot-down UAVs fell in several locations within the city, confirming the intensity of the aerial combat over Crimea.
Fires and Destruction in the City
As a result of the attack, powerful fires broke out in several districts of Sevastopol. Footage from the scene shows tongues of flame engulfing buildings and the work of fire crews attempting to localize the blazes. Particular activity in firefighting and clearing rubble is observed in the Balaklava district. Razvozhayev urged residents at home to move away from windows and follow the "two walls" rule by relocating to rooms far from exterior walls. There are also reports of damage to residential buildings, although the exact figures of destruction remain subject to clarification.
Contradictory Data
There is a discrepancy in the assessment of the attack's consequences between the official statements of the occupation administration and reports from independent sources. In his statement, Mikhail Razvozhayev effectively admitted that the strikes by the Ukrainian Defense Forces did not result in casualties or injuries among the civilian population. However, other sources, citing local reports, state that at least eight residential buildings were damaged as a result of falling debris and fires. This creates uncertainty regarding the actual damage and possible casualties that may be concealed or not yet accounted for.
Context and Defense Strategy
The attack on Sevastopol takes place against the backdrop of the occupation authorities declaring a "special regime" in the city following previous large-scale strikes. This indicates that the Ukrainian side continues active operations to strike military targets in Crimea. At the same time, in Novorossiysk, where an attack using maritime unmanned vehicles was recently recorded, Russian authorities have unofficially banned night movement of ships in the port. This points to the systematic nature of the Ukrainian Defense Forces' attacks on key logistical and military nodes of Russian aggression.
