Explosions in Crimea: Russia speaks of sabotage

Created: 08/17/2022, 12:42 p.m

By: Nadja Austel

In the war of aggression from Russia to Ukraine, there are again explosions in Russian camps on the Crimean peninsula.

Moska/Kyiv - The head of the Presidential Office of Ukraine, Andriy Yermak, spoke in the online service Telegram of a masterfully executed "operation 'demilitarization'".

Just a week after the explosions at a Russian air base in Crimea, another ammunition depot on the Russian-annexed peninsula caught fire.

The Ministry of Defense in Moscow speaks of an "act of sabotage".

According to the Russian Defense Ministry, the explosions in northern Crimea occurred around 6:15 am Moscow time on Tuesday (August 16) at a makeshift ammunition storage facility at a base near the village of Maiske.

report

, Crimean Tatar leader Refat Chubarov described the explosions as a "hit" that could be heard "far across the steppes".

Ukraine conflict: Russian munitions destroyed in Crimea

Recordings on the online networks showed huge fireballs and clouds of black smoke over the plant.

The Defense Ministry in Moscow said there were no "serious" casualties.

According to the

, 2,000 people were evacuated from a nearby village and two people were wounded.

Just a week ago, an ammunition depot exploded on the site of a Russian air force base in western Crimea.

One person was killed and an estimated eight aircraft and a significant amount of ammunition were destroyed.

So far, no one has officially claimed responsibility for the incident, but senior officials in Kyiv and the military have indicated Ukraine's involvement.

Smoke after an explosion near the village of Mayskoye, Dzhankoi district.

(Photo of August 16) © IMAGO/Sergei Malgavko

Explosions in Crimea: Ukraine and Russia speak out

The Ukrainian Air Force said the blasts were caused by Russia's "failure to observe fire safety precautions."

"Of course we are satisfied because Dzhankoi [where the explosions took place] was one of the places where the enemy kept their helicopters and other equipment," Ignat said

at a press conference , according to the

Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin has accused the United States of prolonging the conflict by supplying arms to Ukraine.

Washington uses the people of Ukraine as "cannon fodder," said Putin at the opening of a security conference in Moscow.

Ukraine conflict: West reacts with further sanctions on Russia

Russia has faced unprecedented Western sanctions since the start of Russia's ongoing war of aggression in Ukraine on February 24.

Finland announced on Tuesday that it would limit the number of Russian tourist visas for the EU to ten percent of the current volume from September.

Following the example of Ukraine and Poland, Estonia's head of government announced that she would remove all monuments from her country's Soviet occupation.

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There is good news from the Ukrainian Black Sea port of Pivdennji, where, according to Ukrainian government information, the first ship chartered by the UN with grain could set sail for Africa.

The "MV Brave Commander" loaded with 23,000 tons of wheat is to deliver the grain to Ethiopia that is urgently needed there.

(na/afp)