REUTERS, KYIV

Ukraine struck Russian air defence systems near the town of Yevpatoriya in the west of occupied Crimea in a long-range attack yesterday, the Ukrainian military said.

Russia’s defence ministry said in a statement that its air defences had shot down 11 drones overnight over the peninsula, which Russia seized from Ukraine in 2014. It made no mention of any damage.

A video circulated on social media showed powerful explosions and a plume of smoke rising in the night sky illuminated by a blaze.

A Ukrainian intelligence source told Reuters the attack destroyed a “Triumf” air defence system in a joint operation of the Security Service of Ukraine and navy.

First, the source said, drones blinded the air defence system by attacking its radar and antenna, before two Ukrainian-made Neptune cruise missiles were fired at the system’s launchers. Ukraine has modified the Neptune anti-ship missile to attack ground targets, military analysts say.

Meanwhile, Ukraine’s prosecutor general said yesterday the International Criminal Court (ICC) had opened a field office in Kyiv, as part of efforts to hold Russian forces accountable for potential war crimes.

Ukraine also said yesterday it downed 17 out of 22 Russian drones attacking its territory overnight, and that a child was killed in the country’s south by artillery shelling.

Separately, Ukraine’s air force said it had shot down drones in several regions in Ukraine’s south and north.