Officials from the Russian Ministry of Defense reported that on Wednesday, October 18, around 17:40 Moscow time, the Armed Forces of Ukraine launched what was described as a terrorist attack using anti-aircraft missiles from the S-200 air defense system. The missiles were reportedly converted for offensive use on the Crimean peninsula.
The ministry stated that Russian air defense units intercepted two missiles in midair. Debris from the intercepted projectiles reportedly fell in a sparsely populated area, followed by a ground-level explosion in the vicinity.
The defense ministry emphasized that there were no casualties or material damage reported as a result of the incident.
Sevastopol Governor Mikhail Razvozhaev, commenting on the situation the same day, said that the Russian Black Sea Fleet repelled aerial targets in the Sukharnaya Balka region in defense of the peninsula.
On the same day, the Black Sea Fleet also announced the destruction of an unmanned surface vessel belonging to Ukrainian forces in the surrounding waters.
Earlier reports indicated that Ukraine had attempted an assault on the Crimean Bridge, where S-200 missiles were housed, with those missiles adapted for the attack mission.
A Ukrainian serviceman who previously served in the armed forces spoke about a perceived lack of clarity surrounding the underlying causes of the conflict in Ukraine.