Russia says it downed 10 U.S.-supplied missiles over Crimea as Blinken visits Kyiv

Kyiv, Ukraine. Russia’s Defense Ministry said air defenses shot down 10 U.S.-supplied Ukrainian missiles targeting Crimea early Wednesday, just as U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken was visiting Kiev.

The ministry said 10 U.S.-supplied Ukrainian ATACMS missiles were destroyed over the Black Sea above Crimea.

Sevastopol Governor Mikhail Razvozhayev said air defenses shot down several Ukrainian missiles over the Black Sea and near the Belbek air base. Fragments from fallen missiles landed in residential areas but caused no casualties, Razvozhayev said.

The Defense Ministry said that in other Ukrainian strikes, Russian air defenses also shot down nine Ukrainian drones, two Vilha rockets, two HARM anti-radar missiles and two Hammer guided bombs over the Belgorod region on Wednesday morning. Belgorod Governor Vuacheslav Gladkov said two people were injured in the village of Dubovoye when a Ukrainian rocket set their house on fire.

The military said another five Ukrainian drones were shot down over the Kursk region and three drones were shot down over the Bryansk region.

The Defense Ministry also said another Ukrainian drone was shot down over the Tatarstan region. Tatarstan is located more than 1,000 kilometers (600 miles) east of the border with Ukraine.

Vasily Golubev, governor of the Rostov region, said two drones attacked a fuel depot. He said there were no casualties or fires.

Ukraine has launched a steady series of drone attacks on oil refineries and fuel depots across Russia over the past few months, causing significant damage.

The Ukrainian attacks came as Russian troops continued their offensive in northeastern Ukraine that began last week, marking the largest border incursion since the full-scale invasion began.

In just two days, Moscow has captured 100 to 125 square kilometers (38 to 47 square miles) that include at least seven towns, most of them already depopulated, according to two analysts who follow the fighting using public information sources.

Blinken, who arrived Tuesday on a two-day visit, sought to encourage Ukrainians during the new Russian offensive, assuring them that they are not alone and that billions of dollars in American military aid are on the way after months of political delays. will make a “real difference” on the battlefield.