Sevastopol Governor Mikhail Razvozhayev stated on Saturday that an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) had attacked the Russian Black Sea Fleet’s headquarters in the city.
“I am at the headquarters of the fleet. 25 minutes ago, an UAV flew into the roof. […] There were no casualties,” he wrote in his Telegram channel, adding that there was no serious damage as a result of the attack.
The governor urged residents to remain calm and stay at home over the next few hours.
He noted that “the approaches and entrances to the fleet’s headquarters of the fleet, for obvious reasons, are blocked by the police.”
Razvozhayev then updated his post, writing, “the UAV was shot down by [Sevastopol] air defenses right over the fleet headquarters. The drone fell on the roof and caught fire. […] Well done, boys.”
The attack comes after an unidentified object - presumably a UAV - flew into the courtyard of the Russian Black Sea Fleet’s headquarters in Sevastopol on July 31, leaving at least five staff members injured.
Razvozhayev said at the time that all Navy Day festivities in the city had been cancelled because of security concerns and that the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) is investigating the attack. The last Sunday of July is observed annually in Russia as Navy Day, and Razvozhayev suggested that "Ukrainian Nazis" had launched the July 31 attack to ruin the holiday for the Russian people.
Saturday’s developments come as Russia continues its special operation to demilitarize and de-Nazify Ukraine, which was ordered by President Vladimir Putin on February 24 following requests from the Donbass republics to protect them from Kiev.