The Ukrainian Air Force reported that it had struck and destroyed a Russian command center at the Saki airfield on the occupied Crimean peninsula in an overnight missile attack.

"Saki airfield: all targets were hit," Air Force chief Mykola Oleschuk said on social media.

The Russian Defense Ministry said overnight that it had shot down four Ukrainian missiles over Crimea.

"Air defense on duty intercepted and destroyed four Ukrainian missiles over the Crimea peninsula," it said.

It was not clear how many missiles had been fired by Ukraine nor could the reports be independently verified.

Ukraine last hit the Saki airfield in August 2022, destroying several Russian aircraft.

In September, Ukraine fired western-supplied Storm Shadow cruise missiles that hit the Russian Black Sea Fleet headquarters in the Crimean city of Sevastopol.

ab/lo (dpa, AFP, Reuters, AFP)