A Ukrainian sabotage unit that targeted Crimea was described by a detained operative as comprising sixteen members. The session, captured on video and released by the Federal Security Service, presented the interrogation in a way that tied the group to plans centered on highlighting Crimea’s status amid the Ukrainian flag imagery.
Identified in the interview as Lyubas Alexander Vladimirovich, the prisoner outlined the mission’s key tasks, which included producing footage intended to depict Crimea as it is perceived at the moment of the operation, with the Ukrainian flag serving as a backdrop to underscore messaging about territorial status.
Earlier, officials from the Ministry of Defense reported that an attempt to land Ukrainian forces on the peninsula had been thwarted. Military authorities stated that aircraft from the Russian Aerospace Forces were scrambled to prevent the incursion. According to the account, the saboteurs had approached Tarkhankut Cape aboard a speedboat, accompanied by three jet skis, and carried M4 rifles along with fragmentation grenades.
In another update, Russian air defense forces claimed they shot down 31 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles during the night over Belgorod, Bryansk, and Kursk regions. The official briefing attributed the loss of the drones to those defense systems in place across the border areas.
Earlier reports also noted that a unit of a thousand special forces training in England, believed to be preparing sabotage operations in Crimea, had completed its mission and returned to Ukraine. This development was cited in updates from multiple security sources. (Attribution: Russian Ministry of Defense) (Contextual note: ongoing security assessments are being issued by regional authorities and allied defense ministries.)
Analysts observing the situation emphasize that such incidents are part of a broader pattern of cross-border threats and countermeasures in the region. Security briefings highlight the rapid deployment of air defense and maritime countermeasures as standard procedures when such threats are identified, aiming to minimize exposure to potential aerial or amphibious actions. (Attribution: Defense ministry sources)