Russia says it downed 10 U.S.-supplied missiles over Crimea as Blinken visits Kyiv

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russia’s Defense Ministry said air defenses shot down 10 U.S.-supplied Ukrainian missiles targeting Crimea early Wednesday just as U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken was visiting Kyiv.

The ministry said 10 U.S.-supplied Ukrainian ATACMS missiles were destroyed over the Black Sea over Crimea.

Sevastopol Gov. Mikhail Razvozhayev said air defenses shot down several Ukrainian missiles over the Black Sea and near the Belbek air base. The fragments of downed missiles fell into residential areas but caused no casualties, Razvozhayev said.

The Defense Ministry said that in other Ukrainian attacks, Russian air defenses also shot down nine Ukrainian drones, two Vilha rockets, two anti-radar HARM missiles and two Hammer guided bombs over the Belgorod region early Wednesday. Belgorod Gov. Vuacheslav Gladkov said two people were injured in the village of Dubovoye when a Ukranian rocket set their house ablaze.

The military said five other Ukrainian drones were downed over the Kursk region and three drones were shot down over the Bryansk region.

The Defense Ministry also said that another Ukrainian drone was downed over the Tatarstan region. Tatarstan is located more than 1,000 kilometers (600 miles) east of the border with Ukraine.

Vasily Golubev, the governor of the Rostov region, said two drones attacked a fuel depot. He said there were no casualties or fire.

Ukraine has launched a steady series of drone attacks on oil refineries and fuel depots across Russia over the past months, causing significant damage.

The Ukrainian attacks came as Russian troops pressed their offensive in northeast Ukraine that began last week, which marked the most significant border incursion since the full-scale invasion began.

In just two days, Moscow has captured from 100 to 125 square kilometers (38 to 47 square miles) that include at least seven villages, most of them already depopulated, according to two analysts who monitor the fighting using public sources of information.

Blinken, who arrived Tuesday on a two-day visit, sought to rally Ukrainians’ spirits during the new Russian offensive, assuring them that they are not alone and that billions of dollars in American military aid that is on the way after months of political delays will make a “real difference” on the battlefield.