Russia suffered a great defeat hours after receiving support from Tulsi Gabbard, the United States Director of National Intelligence.
The head of the U.S. intelligence had earlier, before the attack on Russia, stated that the country holds the upper hand in the war against Ukraine.
“During the past year, IC says that Russia has maintained an upper hand against Ukraine,” Tulsi Gabbard started during the presentation of a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing on March 18.
According to the Global Military and Geographical Intelligence, Ukrainian kamikaze drones struck a facility of Russia’s Almaz-Antey defense concern in Sevastopol, Crimea.
The site, which specializes in servicing and repairing Russian air defense systems, was hit by at least five uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs).
Almaz-Antey is a major state-owned manufacturer of air defense systems, including the S-300 and S-400.
Residents reported that a building housing the Russian military’s 3rd Radio-Technical Air Defense Regiment was allegedly targeted.
Governor Mikhail Razvozhaev stated that a total of 27 drones were downed while approaching Sevastopol.
In Sevastopol, the military is repelling the attack by the Ukrainian Armed Forces; mobile fire groups and air defenses are working. Two air targets have already been shot down in the area of the Northern Side,” Mikhail Razvozhaev wrote on his Telegram.
Confirming the casualties, Razvozhaev said that one person was killed and two others were injured in the attack.
Ukraine’s Special Operations Forces confirmed they had struck Russian military targets in occupied Crimea, including a logistics warehouse at the Khersones airfield.
In Sevastopol, the Ukrainian Forces targeted the equipment supporting electronic warfare and radio reconnaissance systems.
Russia in the Ongoing War
On March 19, Russian forces reported killing three people in the eastern Ukrainian region of Sumy.
The Ukrainian air force said Russia attacked Ukraine overnight with 133 drones, adding that its aerial defensive units downed 109.
Prosecutors said Russian drones attacked civilian infrastructure in the Khutir Mykhailivsky community.
Also Read: Russia Breaks Silence as Trump Urges Allies to Deploy Warships in Strait of Hormuz Crisis
Ukraine Attacks on Russia
In retaliation, the Ukrainians have continued to launch more attacks on the Gazprom gas compressor stations serving two major pipelines in Russia.
Attacks on three compressor stations supporting the TurkStream and Blue Stream pipelines had increased in frequency this week.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the latest Ukrainian attacks created an additional threat to energy markets stemming from the war in the Middle East.
Response to Trump on the Strait of Hormuz
On Wednesday, March 18, Russia, through its Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, said Moscow believes “the return of shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz will only be achieved through negotiations.”
The action was in response to the U.S. President Donald Trump’s demand that NATO partners, as well as major oil importers such as Japan, South Korea, China, Britain, and France, join a coalition to reopen the strait.
