A drone struck the headquarters of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet in Crimea on Saturday, hitting the heart of a heavily fortified naval base that has long allowed Moscow to project power in the region.
The incident follows a series of explosions and possible acts of sabotage that have exposed the vulnerability of the peninsula, putting pressure on Russia to strengthen its defenses there. Until recently, Moscow could count on Crimea as a safe rear base to monitor Russia’s occupation of territory along Ukraine’s southern coast.