Ukrainian aerial, naval drones attack Russian base in Crimea, source says.

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The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) and the Ukrainian Armed Forces were responsible for a drone attack that successfully targeted a Russian coastal defense base in Crimea overnight, a source in the intelligence services told the Kyiv Independent on July 18. Russian forces attacked the base on Bay Donuzlav, around 90 kilometers (56 miles) north of Sevastopol, while Russian naval forces conducted a training exercise. "Thanks to SBU drones, these exercises became a failure, because the Russians were unable to protect even their base, not to mention the water area of the lake," the source told the Kyiv Independent.

A video shared with the Kyiv Independent by a source in the intelligence services.

The attack used aerial and naval drones to strike the base, damaging the headquarters and its control point, a warehouse of ammunition and equipment, an electrical substation, and enemy firing positions, the source said.

The attack is a reminder that Crimea is "turning into a trap for the Russians," the source said. Early on July 18, Russian occupation authorities claimed that the port city of Sevastopol came under attack by a naval drone. The Crimean Wind Telegram channel shared a video that purported to show defenses firing toward the sea against the drone.

Successful Ukrainian strikes on occupied Crimea have forced Moscow to pull out much of its naval forces from the peninsula, with the last patrol ship from Russia's Black Sea Fleet withdrawn from Crimea on July 15.

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