Just days after a series of explosions killed at least seven Russian jets at a neighboring air force facility, an ammo stockpile burst in Crimea.
A video allegedly depicts a massive fireball explosion at a temporary military storage facility in the town of Mayskoye, close to the city of Dzhankoi in northern Crimea.
Sergei Aksyonov, the Russian-appointed administrative head of Mayskoye, acknowledged to TASS that munitions had exploded in the hamlet and said that he was investigating the explosions’ causes.
The explosion occurred only days after a series of destructive blasts at the Saki air force facility in Crimea damaged at least seven Russian jets and munitions storage facilities.
After the fire broke out in a temporary storage section of the munitions stockpile, the Russian Defense Ministry said today that there were no major fatalities.
Residents of the area are being evacuated after the appearance of a series of explosions at the weapons store, as seen on camera.
Aksyonov said, “I departed towards the hamlet of Mayskoye in the Dzhankoy area.” The incident’s circumstances are being explored.
Tuesday morning, RIA Novosti reported a transformer substation fire near the Crimean town of Dzhankoi.
The explosion is another another embarrassment for Russian President Vladimir Putin; only days before, a series of explosions had devastated the Saki air force post in Crimea.
On August 9, at least seven Russian fighter planes and ammunition storage facilities were damaged in explosions.
Russia denied any planes were destroyed in the explosions last week, as well as any strike. However, photographs of the Saki airbase in Crimea provided by the American satellite imaging firm Planet Labs PBC indicated that at least seven fighter jets had been destroyed in what is largely believed to have been a Ukrainian attack.
Officials from Ukraine refrained from openly claiming credit for the explosions, but said that at least nine aircraft were damaged and criticized Russia’s account that a careless smoker may have caused ordnance at the Saki air base to catch fire and explode.
If Ukrainian troops were responsible for the explosions, it would be the first known big strike on a Russian military installation on the Crimean Peninsula, which Russia seized from Ukraine in 2014.
From the Saki airport, Russian airplanes have conducted uncountable thousands of attacks against the southeastern areas of Ukraine.
Photographs acquired by Planet Labs about twenty-four hours after the blasts at the Saki site in Crimea revealed approximately one square mile of charred grassland.
Multiple holes marred the ground near the tarmac, a typical indication of a major explosion, and the smoldering wreckage of several planes could be seen.
The two runways seemed to be undamaged and operating, but some of the fighter planes on the flight line had been relocated farther down the runway and appeared to have avoided the blasts.
Since Moscow took Crimea, the facility has been home to the Russian 43rd Independent Naval Assault Air Squadron.
Sukhoi Su-24s and Sukhoi Su-30s flown by the squadron have been essential in providing air support and attacks over southeastern Ukraine.
Crimea is of enormous strategic and symbolic importance to both sides.
As a major prerequisite for any future ceasefire deal, the Kremlin requires Ukraine to recognize Crimea as a part of Russia.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said earlier this week, “Crimea is Ukrainian, and we will never give it up… The Russian assault against Ukraine and all of free Europe must conclude with the liberation of Crimea.
This is breaking news, and there will be more to come…