Ukraine says it breaches Russia's first defense line in south

KIEV/MOSCOW, Sept. 3 (Xinhua) -- The following are the latest developments related to the Ukraine crisis:

Ukrainian forces have breached the first line of Russia's defense near the city of Zaporizhzhia on the country's south, the Interfax-Ukraine news agency reported Sunday, citing a Ukrainian military commander.

"Now we are between the first and the second defensive lines," said Oleksandr Tarnavsky, commander of the operational-strategic grouping of troops "Tavria."

The Ukrainian troops are now advancing on both sides of the breach and strengthening their positions, Tarnavsky said, adding that he believes that the second defensive line is weaker than the first one.

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The Russian Defense Ministry said Sunday that its air defense had destroyed a Ukrainian drone over the Belgorod region, preventing it from carrying out a terrorist attack on Russian facilities.

"Today, at around 12:30 Moscow time (0930 GMT), Kiev attempted to carry out an attack by an unmanned aerial vehicle on objects in the Russian Federation was thwarted," a statement read, calling the move "a terrorist attack."

"The Ukrainian UAV has been destroyed by the air defense over the territory of the Belgorod region," it added.

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Russia hit Ukraine's port infrastructure in an overnight drone attack on the southern Black Sea port city of Odesa, regional authorities said Sunday.

Two civilian workers of the port were injured in the attack, said the Odesa regional military administration.

Serhii Bratchuk, spokesperson for the Ukrainian volunteer army "South," wrote in a Telegram post that a fire broke out on a port infrastructure facility following the attack.

According to Ukraine's Air Force, the country's air defense intercepted 22 out of 25 Shahed-136 and Shahed-131 kamikaze drones launched against the region.