JUST NOW: Several explosions at Russian base in Crimea

Russia's invasion of Ukraine Explosions in Crimea may have been caused by Ukrainian attack 

Of: 

Joachim Kerpner 

Published: Less than 40 min ago 

Updated: Very recently 

NEWS 

Extensive explosions occurred on Tuesday at a military airport in Crimea. 

It may be a Ukrainian attack on the Russian airbase. The Russian Ministry of Defense only states that shells have exploded at the air base. 

One person is said to have died and five have been injured, according to the BBC Russian Service. 

Russian holidaymakers began posting footage on social media on Tuesday afternoon of Russian-occupied Crimea's beaches with mushroom clouds on the horizon, caused by explosions. 

Crouching sunbathers were seen fleeing the beaches as explosions rumbled in the background. 

According to the Russian Defense Ministry, no military equipment was destroyed in the explosions, which were said to have been caused by shells exploding at a military airport. 

- We have taken measures to extinguish the fires and to find out the cause of the explosion, announced the Ministry of Defence.

The explosions at the Russian air base in Crimea were photographed by sunbathers on the beaches of the resort of Novofedorovka. Photo: TASS

Russian paradise 

The explosions are said to have occurred at the holiday resort of Novofedorovka, which is close to the Saki military base, according to Meduza newspaper . 

The Russian newspaper Kommersant states that it is "an attack", that fires must have raged in an ammunition depot and also on the runway. The Ministry of Defense of Ukraine claims in a comment at 6:30 p.m. that it is not behind the explosions. 

The situation is reminiscent of when the Russian robotic cruiser Moskva was hit by Ukrainian shells in the Black Sea and sank. At the time, the Russian Ministry of Defense denied that Ukraine was behind the incident, instead Moscow's sinking was said to have been caused by ammunition exploding on board. 

From the nearest Ukrainian posts outside Kherson, it is over 200 kilometers to the military air base in Crimea. 

Child injured 

The Russian Defense Ministry initially claimed that no one had been injured in the explosions in Crimea. Later, the Russian Ministry of Health stated that five people, including a child, were injured as a result of the explosions, according to the BBC Russian Service.

Sergei Aksenov, Russia's handpicked leader of Crimea, stated on his Telegram channel at 5:30 p.m. that one person had died as a result of the explosions. 

30 people staying in boarding houses and hotels in the resort town of Novofedorovka near the military base were evac