The Russian army successfully repelled an attack by three Ukrainian drones on its Black Sea patrol boats. The incident occurred amid escalating tensions between Kyiv and Moscow in the region. The naval drones were intercepted and downed by Russian ships approximately 340 km southwest of Sevastopol. Moscow has regularly accused the Ukrainian army of using naval drones to target the Black Sea.
Last month, Ukraine carried out an attack using naval drones on the Kerch Bridge, an important link between Russia and the annexed Crimean peninsula. Following Russia’s withdrawal from an international grain deal in July, tensions in the Black Sea have been on the rise. Both Russia and Ukraine have warned ships that they could be attacked if they sailed to enemy ports. Russia has also targeted Ukrainian infrastructure for exporting foodstuffs.
Meanwhile, Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega criticized the US and NATO, referring to them as “imperialists” who are attempting to destroy Russia. Ortega claimed that the conflict is no longer just between Russia and Ukraine but is a war initiated by NATO and the US. He expressed concern about the potential dangers to the existence of the human species and called for peace agreements between Ukraine and Russia.
In another development, Russian military reported that Ukrainian drones had targeted Moscow and its surroundings again. Two out of three drones were shot down outside Moscow, while one crashed into a skyscraper in the Moscow City business district, causing damage to the building. The drones that hit the skyscraper were reportedly jammed before collapsing. Ukrainian drone attacks on Russia and Moscow-annexed territory, particularly Crimea, have become more frequent.
Additionally, Yevgeny Prigozhin, the leader of the Russian mercenary group Wagner, stated that the group is currently not recruiting fighters. Prigozhin mentioned that there is currently no shortage of personnel and recruitment has been suspended temporarily. Wagner, known for its involvement in the Ukrainian conflict, suffered significant losses during the battle for the Ukrainian city of Bakhmut. Prigozhin’s statements came after tensions between the Wagner Group and the regular Russian military. The military has insisted that Wagner fighters can only participate in Ukraine if they join the regular army.