A blast claimed the lives of five personnel in Russian-controlled Sevastopol while they were attempting to defuse an explosive device following a Ukrainian drone strike, according to regional authorities.

Five people died in an explosion in Sevastopol while engaged in bomb disposal operations, according to regional governor Mikhail Razvozhayev. The deceased included four emergency service specialists trained in explosive ordnance disposal and one security personnel. The incident occurred as the group was conducting clearance efforts in the aftermath of a Ukrainian drone attack on the city.

The fatality represents the latest escalation in aerial operations between Russia and Ukraine, now in its fifth year following Moscow's full-scale invasion in 2022. Both nations have intensified their air campaigns in recent months, with strikes and defensive measures expanding across multiple territories.

Russia's Defence Ministry reported that its air defence systems destroyed or intercepted 362 Ukrainian drones overnight across various Russian and Russian-controlled regions, including Crimea. The peninsula, which Russia seized and annexed from Ukraine in 2014, continues to experience significant military activity.