Live blog: Kiev strikes Crimea as Moscow ups offensive in east

Friday, November 24, 2023

1123 GMT - Ukraine launched one of the biggest drone attacks on the Moscow-annexed Crimean Peninsula since the full-scale war that started with Russia's "special military operation" 21 months ago, Russian officials said.

At the same time, Ukrainian officials reported that the Kremlin's forces escalated their weekslong and costly attempt to storm Avdiivka, a strategically important city in eastern Ukraine.

The stepped-up efforts came as both sides are keen to show they are not deadlocked as the fighting approaches 2024. Neither side has gained much ground despite a Ukrainian counteroffensive that began in June, and analysts predict the war will be a long one.

With winter weather setting in, bringing snow and freezing temperatures to the battlefield, Ukraine and Russia are looking to take ground that could provide platforms for future advances.

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1029 GMT - Kremlin says NATO's desire for a 'military Schengen' zone in Europe ratchets up tensions

The Kremlin said NATO's desire to have a military analogue of the Schengen Zone in Europe to allow the alliance's armed forces to move around freely to counter Russia had ratcheted up tensions and was a cause for concern.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Moscow would respond if 'the military Schengen' proposal became a reality.

"The alliance has always regarded our country as a so-called notional enemy. Now it openly considers our country to be an obvious adversary. This (statement) is nothing more than about fuelling tensions in Europe which has consequences," Peskov told reporters.

0615 GMT — Russia says it destroyed 16 Ukrainian drones in south, Crimea

Russia said it had destroyed 16 Ukrainian drones in the south of the country and over the annexed Crimean peninsula.

On Thursday night, "an attempt by the Kiev regime to carry out a terrorist attack using aerial drones against sites on the territory of the Russian Federation was thwarted," Russia's defence ministry said.

"Air defence systems destroyed 16 drones, including 13 over the Crimean peninsula and three over the territory of the Volgograd region."

For our live updates from Thursday (November 23), click here.