Antony Blinken, the US secretary of state, has warned a Ukrainian attempt to retake Crimea would be a red line for Vladimir Putin that could escalate the conflict, it has been reported.

Mr Blinken told a group of experts that the US is not seeking to actively encourage Kyiv to reclaim the peninsula that was illegally annexed by Moscow in 2014.

The US’s top diplomat said the decision should be left up to Ukraine to decide alone.

It came after Ukrainian drones were downed over Sevastopol, a major port home to Russia’s Black Sea Fleet, according to the city’s governor.

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Kyiv’s armed forces have reportedly launched a series of covert operations to hit Russian military targets on the Crimean peninsula.

Read more: The Telegraph