Explosions in Sevastopol: what Ukrainian drones actually attacked

In the annexed Sevastopol, after the drone attack, damage was recorded in different parts of the city. The occupation authorities claimed the destruction of civilian infrastructure, while evidence suggests that most of the strikes were directed near Russian military facilities.

Krym.Realii journalists found out where exactly the Ukrainian drones were heading and whether they posed a threat to the civilian population.

The Russian Defense Ministry reported that on the night and morning of January 28, more than two dozen drones were allegedly shot down over Crimea and the Black Sea. The so-called "head" of Sevastopol , Razvozhayev, said that the city had been destroyed and an employee of the Revyakin Educational Center, who was outside during the air defense operation, was injured.

According to him, in the area of Cape Fiolent, drone fragments fell on the roof of a private house and damaged the fence of another household, in Yukharina Balka, they broke the roof of a private house, and on Heroyev Stalingrad Avenue, a fragment broke a window on the balcony. There were also reports of fragments of a drone, possibly an engine, being found near Universytetska Street and debris near Vakulenchuk Street. The occupation authorities have not released any documentary evidence of these statements.

The Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation stated that they intend to investigate the so-called "crimes of Ukrainian armed groups against civilians in Sevastopol," in particular the fact that an employee of an educational institution was injured. Information about the victim's condition and identity was not disclosed.

At the same time, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that on the night of January 27, units of the Defense Forces hit a Tor-M2 anti-aircraft missile system near the village of Kacha near Sevastopol. The report stated that the strike was aimed at reducing the offensive potential of the Russian army, and the extent of the damage was being clarified.

According to journalists, most of the addresses in Sevastopol where drone debris was recorded on January 28 are associated with the location of Russian military facilities. In particular, military units, radar stations, and air defense facilities of the Russian Federation have been deployed in the Fiolent area since 2024. Yukharina Balka is also home to air defense facilities that have been attacked before. In addition, on the morning of January 28, explosions were reported near the Belbek airfield, where Russian military aircraft are based and regularly involved in attacks on the Ukrainian mainland.

The Ukrainian Defense Forces have previously stated that they do not strike civilian objects or places where civilians gather in Crimea. A representative of the Ukrainian Navy, Dmytro Pletenchuk, emphasized that in the event of incidents, Ukraine has repeatedly warned of the danger of being near military facilities in the temporarily occupied territory. He also noted that an additional threat to civilians is posed by an ineffective warning system that does not always allow people to respond to air danger in a timely manner.

The occupation forces have also stepped up repression in Crimea. After the recent strikes by the Ukrainian Defense Forces, the Russian invaders launched large-scale 'raids' in Simferopol. The main purpose of these actions is to search for local residents whom the occupiers suspect of adjusting fire and helping the Ukrainian army.

Анна Літман