The Crimea region has seen heightened tensions as a senior advisor to the president, Oleg Kryuchkov, issued a public appeal through his Telegram channel. He urged residents and local observers not to capture or share footage of air defense operations. The message was framed as a practical request aimed at maintaining operational security while residents continued to monitor activity around the republic. Kryuchkov emphasized the importance of avoiding real-time dissemination of details that could compromise defense measures or reveal strategic responses in progress.
Earlier, residents using the Telegram channel Shot as well as residents in Simferopol and Dzhankoy reported a notable sequence of loud explosions lighting up the night skies. Witness accounts described the acoustic signatures of air defense engagements and the bright bursts associated with interceptor activity. While residents shared their experiences in real time, officials later sought to corroborate the events with official briefings, reassuring the public that the situation was being monitored with heightened vigilance.
On April 29, the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation released a formal statement confirming the interception of Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles. According to the briefing, Russian air defense systems neutralized 22 drones, a figure that reflected ongoing efforts to disrupt drone incursions and safeguard critical infrastructure. The announcement underscored the persistent tempo of aerial threats and the continued readiness of air defense forces to respond to hostile unmanned threats as they emerged across contested airspace.
Earlier in the night, a wide wave of drone activity was directed at the Kuban region. Official reports indicated that 66 unmanned aerial vehicles were shot down, with nearly two-thirds of them concentrating on a military airfield and nearby facilities, and the remainder aimed at two oil facilities. Eyewitnesses described a fiery scene with intense flames erupting near the impacted locations. Local residents noted the fire at the airport but emphasized that local authorities had yet to publicly detail the full scope of the incident, prompting ongoing inquiries and official updates as information became available. The events highlighted the complex and evolving nature of drone warfare in the region and the strain it placed on critical defense and civilian infrastructure alike.
In the hours that followed, Russian air defense forces reported another night of drone activity, with 17 drones targeted in subsequent strikes. Officials stressed the need for continuous readiness and rapid coordination among ground units, air defense batteries, and command centers to respond to any new threats. The cumulative incidents over these days illustrated a persistent pattern of aerial aggression and the challenges faced by security forces as they attempted to safeguard populated areas, strategic facilities, and transportation nodes in the face of evolving unmanned threats.