The Russian Defense Ministry said it destroyed 4 Ukrainian speedboats carrying 50 paratroopers in the Black Sea, destroyed several Ukrainian drones, some of which launched an attack on Pskov airport (western Russia) and damaged 4 military transports. Airplanes.

The Russian Defense Ministry – in a statement posted on Telegram – said it had “destroyed 4 high-speed military boats carrying a total of 50 people of Ukrainian special forces landing teams” in the Black Sea at midnight Moscow time (21:00 GMT). )).

The Russian governor of Pskov, Mikhail Vedernikov, announced that a Ukrainian attack by drones on the city’s airport had been thwarted, while emergency services reported that 4 heavy military transport planes “IL-76” were damaged and air traffic was banned. , and the attack was carried out by about 15 drones.

And the governor of the region said in a post on social media – “Ministry of Defense foils drone attack at Pskov airport” and linked his post to a video clip of a huge fire accompanied by explosions and explosions. Sirens in the background, and added that “according to initial reports, there is no loss of life”.

Pskov is located about 800 km from the border with Ukraine, and the surrounding area is bordered by Latvia and Estonia; They are both members of the European Union.

Russia’s TASS news agency also cited air navigation services as saying that airspace at Moscow’s Vnukovo airport was closed.

The Russian military – in a Telegram application – said it shot down 3 Ukrainian convoys over the southern Bryansk region, one over the central Orlov region, and shot down a Ukrainian convoy in the Kaluga region. (South of Moscow).

Crimea

In turn, the Ukrainian General Staff reported that its forces have made progress in the south and are continuing their offensive towards the city of Melitopol in Zaporozhye province (southeastern Ukraine).

Melitopol is a strategic target of the Ukrainian military. The city is the gateway to Crimea, as it sits on a railway line linking Russia with Crimea and other areas it controls in southern Ukraine.

An adviser to the Ukrainian president, Mykhailo Podoliak, said Kiev had received the green light from its partners to launch strikes over Crimea, adding that Russia would lose control of its airspace over time.

For his part, the Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council, Dmitry Medvedev, warned the West about the consequences of the agreement on attacks by Ukrainian forces on the Crimean peninsula, and said that it would be a reason to start a war. Give Moscow a legal framework to go against everyone, and he believed the matter foretold the end of the world.

New American aid

On the other hand, the United States on Tuesday announced a new $250 million military aid package to Ukraine, including equipment to clear mines and obstacles.

Kiev forces have had difficulty achieving significant gains in their counteroffensive this summer, which has clashed with solid Russian defenses made up of mines, trenches and tank barricades.

“The package will help Ukraine counter Russia’s war of aggression on the battlefield and protect its people,” the Pentagon statement said. This collection includes anti-aircraft missiles, artillery shells, anti-tank missiles, mine clearance equipment and more than 3 million light weapons.

The assistance also includes armored medical vehicles, ambulances and other unspecified field equipment, the Pentagon said.

Since the start of the war in Ukraine on February 24, 2022, US President Joe Biden’s administration has provided more than $43 billion in various aid to Kyiv.