Officials in Sevastopol report that the notable sounds heard in the city center were linked to the activities of the Black Sea Fleet during a scheduled training operation. The city’s leadership has described these sounds as part of a broader preparedness exercise that involves the use of a range of weapon systems under a preventive firing plan. The purpose is to simulate anti-submarine and sabotage support scenarios, and this iteration reportedly featured systems with greater power than in previous drills, according to statements from local authorities. The tone from the administration emphasizes that there has been no disruption to civilian life and that residents are safe during these maneuvers. The report notes a calm mood in the city as the drills proceed and as officials monitor the situation. (attribution: Sevastopol City Administration)
Earlier reports placed the activity near the Azov Sea in Crimea on the evening of May 8, when an unidentified drone was shot down near the village of Glazovka in the Leninsky district. Local authorities described the incident as part of ongoing security operations and emphasized that there were no injuries or damage tied to the event. (attribution: regional defense spokesperson)
On May 7, the Russian Ministry of Defense indicated it had intercepted 22 Ukrainian drones. Night-time activity over the Black Sea involved Russian air defense systems responding to aerial threats, with Sevastopol Governor Mikhail Razvozhaev confirming that more than a dozen drones targeted the city and the peninsula. Officials reported that none of the attempts to breach the defense lines succeeded and that there were no casualties or destruction in the Crimea region as a result of these engagements. (attribution: Russian Defense Ministry officials)