Drone Targets Russian Naval Headquarters In Crimea Transcript

Josh Lederman: (00:00) Tonight, a rare Russian admission of vulnerability, authorities in Crimea acknowledging a drone targeted Russia's Naval Headquarters there, suspected to be part of Ukraine's new offensive, deep in Russian occupied territory. The explosions heard by Crimea's residents. She says, "It's unclear what it was, but you get nervous because of the noise." For Ukraine, that's part of the point. President Putin has called Crimea "Russia's holy land and a sacred place." Russia illegally annexed the peninsula in 2014. Since February, Russia has used Crimea as a staging ground to attack Ukraine, but now Ukraine is trying to show no Russian military site is safe. President Zelensky predicting tonight that Crimea will soon be liberated. And a US official tells NBC News, "Ukraine is free to use American weapons to strike in Crimea." As the Biden administration prepares to send another 775 million dollars in weapons to Ukraine, including new advanced spy drones. Bonnie Jenkins: (01:02) It really highlights the commitment of the US to the defense of Ukraine, to providing Ukraine what it needs to maintain its sovereignty. Josh Lederman: (01:10) Amid fierce fighting in Ukraine's east and south, there's been more shelling near two of Ukraine's nuclear power plants, including Zaporizhia, the largest in Europe. Ukraine and Russia, accusing each other of the shelling. In Zaporizhia, Ukraine held radiation disaster drills. Ukraine's military intelligence spokesman telling NBC, "Russia has brought weapons, explosives, and landmines to the power plant." Tonight, Ukrainians defiant, parading burnt out Russian tanks through the streets of Kyiv, as Ukraine prepares for its independence day and to mark six months of war. Jose: (01:44) And Josh Lederman joins me now from inside Ukraine. Josh, Russia's Defense Ministry accused Ukraine today of poisoning Russian service members around that nuclear plant in late July. What's been the response? Josh Lederman: (01:57) Well, an advisor to Ukraine's Interior Ministry said in response, "The alleged poisoning could have been caused by Russia providing its troops expired canned meat for rations." Jose. Jose: (02:09) Josh Lederman in Dnipro. Thank you so much. Speaker 4: (02:13) Thanks for watching our YouTube channel. Follow today's top stories and breaking news by downloading the NBC News app.