Ukraine aims a major drone attack at Crimea as Russia tries to capture a destroyed eastern city

By ILLIA NOVIKOV
Associated Press

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russian officials say Ukraine has launched one of its biggest drone attacks on the Moscow-annexed Crimean Peninsula since the full-scale war began. The Moscow-appointed governor for the Russian-occupied part of southern Ukraine’s Kherson region said Ukraine launched a major drone attack early Friday. He claimed that dozens of drones were shot down over the province and the northern part of Crimea. At the same time, Ukrainian officials reported that the Kremlin’s forces have escalated their weekslong and costly attempt to storm Avdiivka, a strategically important city in eastern Ukraine. The stepped-up efforts came as both sides are keen to show they are not deadlocked as the fighting approaches 2024.