Following the massive midnight attack, russian sources claimed that air defenses thwarted the operation by shooting down 120 drones in total: 20 over the Black Sea and 100 over land. However, video evidence and satellite data contradict this narrative, confirming successful strikes on key targets.
Military expert Serhii Zghurets, head of the Defense Express company, explained the strategic impact of this strike in an interview with Espreso TV, noting that several russian airfields used for combat missions were hit.
Read more: Ukraine Carried Out Its Largest Drone Strike Yet on Crimean Airfields
Explosions were recorded near or at the airbases in Saky, Kacha, Hvardiiske, and Dzhankoi, with possible secondary strikes near Belbek. The scale and coordination of the attack suggest a deliberate effort to degrade russia’s operational and strategic infrastructure in Crimea.
Data from NASA services also confirm fires at military sites in Crimea. Some drones were also headed toward Yevpatoria.
According to Zghurets, such operations are typically conducted in phases. If the russians claim to have shot down 120 drones, the actual number launched was likely much higher. Attacks of this scale usually begin with swarms of low-cost UAVs to saturate and distract enemy air defenses, followed by precision strikes using loitering munitions and anti-radiation weapons.
This latest strike appears to be even more complex and sophisticated. A video released by the Prymary unit of the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine shows multiple FPV drone strikes on russian radar systems and air defense assets. Based on the footage, at least four radars used for missile guidance and two S-300V launchers were destroyed. These radars were reportedly in both combat and standby modes at the time of the strike.
The expert emphasizes that this operation was meticulously planned and executed in several stages. The full extent of the damage is still being assessed, but initial reports indicate that the strike significantly disrupted russian air defense capabilities in Crimea.
According to Zghurets, this attack is also symbolically timed. As russia prepares for the May 9 Victory Day parade in Moscow, it is pushing for a temporary ceasefire. Ukraine, however, is focused on real steps toward a lasting and genuine end to the war — not just a short pause, shot down by President Zelenskyi as a merely "theatrical performance."
Read more: Ukrainian Surface Drone Shoots Down russian Su-30 Aircraft with a Missile For the First Time in History (Video)
