It is day 568 of the war in Ukraine. Explosions rocked the city of Yevpatoria in annexed Crimea overnight, as Russia reported downing 11 drones and thwarting an attack on one of its naval vessels.

The Defence Ministry also reported the interception of four more drones over southern Russia’s Bryansk region.

Putin has accepted an invitation from Kim Jong Un tio visit North Korea.

A Russian envoy was summoned to the Romanian Foreign Ministry for the second time this month following the discovery of more drone debris on the country’s border with Ukraine.

Novaya-Europe’s news round-up will brief you on the main developments overnight.

Explosions rock Yevpatoria in annexed Crimea 

Russia’s Defence Ministry said that air defence systems had downed 11 drones over Russia-annexed Crimea overnight, as multiple explosions were reported in the city of Yevpatoria, according to local media.

The explosions caused many buildings in Yevpatoria to “rock from top to bottom”, the Krymsky Veter Telegram channel reported on Thursday.

Traffic across the Crimean Bridge, the main road link connecting annexed Crimea to Russia, was reportedly suspended.

Yevpatoria hosts several Russian military bases, and the Saki military airfield is located nearby.

The Defence Ministry also reported an unsuccessful Ukrainian attack on a Russian Black Sea Fleet vessel. Ukrainian forces reportedly targeted the Sergey Kotov with five naval drones, all of which the ministry said had been intercepted.

The Defence Ministry also said that air defence systems had downed four Ukrainian drones over Russia’s southern Bryansk region on the border with Ukraine in the early hours of Thursday.

Bryansk region Governor Alexander Bogomaz reported that a total of seven drones had been intercepted over the region overnight, with no injuries or damage reported.

Putin accepts invitation from Kim Jong Un to visit North Korea

Russian President Vladimir Putin has accepted an invitation from North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un to visit Pyongyang, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported on Thursday.

Kim invited Putin to make the visit at a “convenient time” in the future. “President Putin gladly accepted this invitation and reiterated his determination to continue the history and tradition of the Russian-Korean friendship,” South Korean news agency Yonhap reported, quoting KCNA.

The invitation follows a four-hour meeting between the two leaders at Russia’s Vostochny Cosmodrome in Russia’s Far East on Wednesday, where the main item on the agenda was widely believed to have been brokering a deal for North Korea to supply Russia with munitions to bolster the country’s forces in Ukraine.

While neither leader commented publicly on the rumoured weapons deal, Kim did express his support for Putin’s “holy fight” with what he called “hegemonic forces”.

Russian diplomat summoned by Romania over drone debris

Russia’s chargé d’affaires was summoned to the Romanian Foreign Ministry to receive a “firm note of protest” after debris from drones “similar to those used by Russia” was found on the Romanian side of the country’s border with Ukraine, Romanian news channel Digi24 reported on Thursday.

On Wednesday, drone debris was identified in the Romanian town of Tulcea, prompting the Foreign Ministry to summon the diplomat and to discuss the matter with NATO.

This is the third time in a week that the debris of an intercepted Russian drone has been found on Romanian territory. The first case, on 9 September, also led the Romanian government to issue a formal protest to the Russian embassy.