There have been violent explosions at a Russian military airfield on the annexed Black Sea peninsula of Crimea. Videos of detonations and clouds of smoke circulated on social networks. One person was killed, Crimean boss Sergei Aksjonov said, according to Russian agencies. Seven other people, including two children, were injured, according to local sources. At first it was said that there were no victims.
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Various ammunition had exploded in a depot on the grounds of the Saki military airfield near Nowofyodorovka, Russian news agencies quoted the Russian army as saying on Tuesday. At least three destroyed Russian fighter jets can be seen in the first videos showing the destruction at the airport. Observers assume that even more aircraft were destroyed.
As of Tuesday morning, around 40 fighter jets were on the site, as can be seen on satellite images. There are also some helicopters. Earlier, the Russian news agency Ria Novosti reported that no military equipment had been damaged.
Two eyewitnesses told Reuters news agency that there were at least 12 detonations in total. The Ukrainian Defense Ministry said it could not say what caused the explosions. However, there is a risk that Russia will falsify evidence of an alleged Ukrainian attack. August 9 is International Day of Indigenous Peoples, Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk wrote on Telegram. In Ukraine, these included the Crimean Tatars, the Karaims and the Crimean Chaks. “Today’s explosions in Novofyodorovka are further evidence of who owns Crimea.”
Ukrainian Presidential Advisor Mykhailo Podoliak wrote on Twitter: “This is just the beginning.” Crimea has a future as a travel paradise without Russian occupation. In mid-July, Ukraine’s deputy defense minister threatened an attack on the Russian Black Sea fleet stationed in Crimea.
A source in the Russian Defense Ministry cited a violation of fire safety rules at the Saki base as the most likely cause. “There are no signs, evidence or even facts that the ammunition was deliberately detonated.” According to the information, the aircraft were not damaged.
The airfield is located about 60 kilometers north of Sevastopol on the western side of the Crimean peninsula. Russia is to launch its airstrikes on southern Ukraine from the military airfield, reports Ukrainska Pravda.
Tourists fled the area near the seaside resort of Yevpatoria in a hurry. Aksyonov said an area within a five-kilometer radius around the base had been cordoned off. The fire was brought under control by evening. He did not comment on the cause of the explosion.
Observers assumed an act of sabotage because the Ukrainian troops on the mainland are more than 200 kilometers away. According to previous reports, the Ukrainian army does not have any missiles with this range.
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The HIMARS rocket launchers, which the Ukrainian military received from the US, only have a range of about 80 kilometers. The Mars II rocket launchers supplied by Germany only fire about 70 kilometers. Some Twitter users speculate that Ukraine may have received missiles with even longer ranges.
As early as Tuesday morning, a Russian ammunition depot in southern Cherson near Crimea – more than 150 kilometers behind the front line – is said to have exploded.
Russia annexed Crimea in 2014. In the course of the war of aggression that began at the end of February, Moscow repeatedly demanded that Crimea be recognized as Russian territory – which Kyiv clearly rejects. Internationally, too, the peninsula with its more than two million inhabitants continues to be regarded as Ukrainian territory. (Tsp with Reuters/dpa/AFP)
