The Ukrainian Air Force said Tuesday that nine Russian fighter jets were destroyed in a massive explosion at an air base in Crimea that Moscow seized in 2014. It is said that it was done. To take back Crimea hours after the explosion.
Ukraine, while mocking Russia's denial of the attack, did not go so far as to publicly claim responsibility for the explosion at Saki Air Base. Moscow claimed the ammunition ignited and exploded, killing one person and injuring at least 13 others.
Major US news outlets — The New York Times and The Washington Post quoted an unnamed Ukrainian official as saying that the attack on the base was carried out by Kyiv forces. on the west coast of Crimea, but did not give details. The Times reported that its source did not specify the type of weapon that caused the blast, but added that "specialized equipment manufactured in Ukraine was used."
Ukraine's presidential adviser Oleksiy Arrestovich said on Tuesday that the explosion was either caused by a Ukrainian-made long-range weapon or was the work of guerrillas operating in Crimea. At least 200 kilometers from the nearest Ukrainian position is out of range of the US-supplied missiles in Kyiv.
The attack inside Crimea marks a significant escalation of hostilities in Russia's offensive against the former Soviet republic, now in its sixth month. Moscow uses Saki Air Base as a launching pad for attacks on southern Ukraine.
In a video speech Tuesday night, Zelensky pledged that Ukraine would retake Crimea, stating, "This Russian war against Ukraine, and against all of free Europe, must begin in Crimea and end in Crimea." - Its liberation."
Russian officials said Wednesday that hotels and beaches on the peninsula, a popular summer destination for many Russians, were unaffected and called for downplaying the explosion at the air force base.But social media Images showed people fleeing a nearby beach to safety as smoke billowed overhead.
If Ukrainian forces were indeed responsible for the explosion, it would be the first large-scale attack against a Russian military base in Crimea. conducted a small drone attack on the Black Sea Fleet's command post.
Meanwhile, Russia shelled Dnipropetrovsk, Ukraine's central region, killing 13 people and wounding 11, said the region's governor, Valentyn Reznichenko.
Leznichenko said Russian troops opened fire on the city of Marganets and nearby villages, damaging dozens of homes, two schools and several administrative buildings.
"It was a terrible night," Reznichenko said. "It is very difficult to get a corpse out from under the rubble. We are facing a savage enemy who terrorizes our cities and villages daily."
Some material in this report was provided by AP.
