Russia claims 6 Ukrainian drones downed over Black Sea, Crimea.

Russia claimed it had downed six Ukrainian drones over the Black Sea and occupied Crimea on the morning of Nov.

2, according to a report by the Russian Defense Ministry. One unmanned aerial vehicle was reportedly shot down by air defenses over the Black Sea, five more were intercepted over the territory of the occupied peninsula, Moscow said. The Kyiv Independent could not verify the information.

An air raid alert was declared in the Crimean city of Sevastopol on Nov.

1 amid a shutdown of the traffic on the Crimean Bridge. Russia-appointed proxy head of the city, Mikhail Razvozhaev, said that smoke could be seen in the Bay Area and was caused by military operations.

Earlier on Oct.

30, several explosions were reported in the city by local media. Russian-backed authorities said anti-aircraft operations were being conducted. Starting in the summer of 2023, there have been a series of increasingly destructive attacks on Russian military facilities on the occupied peninsula.

President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Oct.

24 that recent Ukrainian attacks have denied the Russian fleet safe haven and secure maritime corridors in the western part of the Black Sea as Kyiv's troops look to squeeze Russian-installed forces out of Crimea.