Russian Crimea Base Explosions Appear To Be Caused By Ukraine Special Forces

The dramatic and deadly blast at a Russian air force base in Crimea was apparently an attack by Ukrainian special forces. 

US officials, aware of the attack, said that US supplied weapons were not used. As the base is approximately 100 kilometers from the front lines, this creates new fears for Russia's prospects in the areas of Ukraine it has occupied. JL 

Adela Suliman and colleagues report in the Washington Post:

A deadly strike on a Russian air base in occupied Crimea was carried out by Ukrainian special forces. A Ukrainian official official not authorized to discuss the matter publicly did not disclose details of how the attack was carried out. The Ukrainian air force said in a separate statement that nine Russian aircraft were destroyed in the blast. It would demonstrate a remarkable ability by Ukrainian forces to strike at Russia far from the front lines. Russia’s Defense Ministry denied the base on the Black Sea had been shelled and said that munitions had blown up. Ukrainian forces did not use a weapon provided by the United States.A deadly strike on a Russian air base in occupied Crimea was carried out by Ukrainian special forces, a Ukrainian government official told The Washington Post on Wednesday.

 

The official, who was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and confirmed Ukraine’s role on the condition of anonymity, did not disclose details of how the attack was carried out. The Ukrainian air force said in a separate statement that nine Russian aircraft were destroyed in the blast, without any claim of responsibility. The attack reportedly killed one person and injured at least 13, including two children.

 

A Ukrainian attack in Crimea would mark a dramatic escalation in the war. It would demonstrate a remarkable ability by Ukrainian forces, or their allies, to strike at Russia far from the front lines. Russia said the blast at the air base was caused by an ammunition explosion. A U.S. official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, told The Post that Ukrainian forces apparently had carried out the strike but did not use a weapon provided by the United States.

Russia’s Defense Ministry denied the Saki base on the Black Sea had been shelled and said instead that munitions had blown up there. But Ukrainian social networks were abuzz with speculation that it was hit by Ukrainian-fired long-range missiles.

Videos posted on social networks showed sunbathers on nearby beaches fleeing as huge flames and pillars of smoke rose over the horizon from multiple points, accompanied by loud booms. Crimea Today News said on Telegram that witnesses reported fire on a runway and damage to nearby homes as a result of what it said were dozens of blasts.

Russia’s state news agency Tass quoted an unidentified ministry source as saying the explosions’ primary cause appeared to be a “violation of fire safety requirements.” The ministry said no warplanes were damaged.

Ukraine’s Defense Ministry said sarcastically on Facebook: “The Ministry of Defense of Ukraine cannot establish the cause of the fire, but once again recalls the rules of fire safety and the prohibition of smoking in unspecified places.”