In a video address on Tuesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that “this Russian war against Ukraine and against all of free Europe began with Crimea and must end with Crimea – its liberation.”
The comments came hours after massive explosions in Crimea, a development which has raised concerns around escalation in the Russia-Ukraine conflict. The Ukrainian Air Force said that the Crimea blasts had destroyed 9 warplanes of Russia.
However, Russia denied the claims of warplane casualties, even rejecting reports of any attack on the air base in Crimea. While the Ukrainians did not take responsibility for the attack, Russia’s explanation was that the military equipment caught fire and exploded.
Smoke rises after explosions were heard near Novofedorivka in Crimea | Photo: Reuters
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Moscow further downplayed the explosions, stating that beaches and hotels at the popular tourist destination had escaped impact in the blasts that killed one and injured 13 others.
The Saki air base in Crimea has been used by Russia for quick aerial attacks in the south of Ukraine. After the explosions, there was buzz that the attack resulted from long-range missiles shot out by Ukraine. This is significant as Moscow has cautioned Kyiv against targeting Crimea, warning that it could react with strikes aimed at “decision-making centers” in the Ukrainian capital.
“Official Kyiv has kept mum about it, but unofficially the military acknowledges that it was a Ukrainian strike,” said Ukrainian military analyst Oleh Zhdanov on the explosions.
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(With inputs from agencies)
