Blasts at Russian base in Crimea likely work of Kyiv forces

KYIV • Moscow denounced sabotage, and Ukraine hinted at responsibility, for new explosions yesterday at a military base in the Russian-annexed Crimea region that is an important war supply line.

The blasts engulfed a munitions depot at a Russian military base, disrupting trains and forcing 2,000 people to be evacuated from a nearby village. Smoke was later seen at a second Russian military base in central Crimea, while blasts hit another facility in the west last week.

The explosions raised the prospect of new dynamics in the six-month war, if Ukraine now has the capability to strike deeper into Russian territory or pro-Kyiv groups are having success with guerilla-style attacks. Russia has used Crimea, which it annexed from Ukraine in 2014, to reinforce its troops fighting in other parts of Ukraine with military hardware, a process Kyiv is keen to disrupt ahead of a potential counter-offensive in southern Ukraine. Crimea is the base of Russia's Black Sea Fleet.

Ukraine has not officially confirmed or denied responsibility for blasts in Crimea, though its officials have openly cheered incidents in territories that, until last week, appeared safe in Moscow's grip, beyond the range of attacks.

After yesterday's explosions, however, Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak and chief of staff Andriy Yermak both exulted on social media at "demilitarisation": a mocking reference to the word Russia uses to justify its invasion.

"Operation 'demilitarisation' in the precise style of the Armed Forces of Ukraine will continue until the complete deoccupation of Ukraine's territories. Our soldiers are the best sponsors of a good mood," Mr Yermak wrote on Telegram. Russia's Defence Ministry said the explosions at the ammunition depot were "a result of sabotage".

With the war raging since Feb 24, attention has also focused on shelling in the vicinity of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant in southern Ukraine. Both sides have blamed each other for risks to Europe's largest nuclear facility, which Russia has seized, though Ukrainian technicians operate it. The region's governor, Mr Oleksandr Starukh, has said that up to 400,000 people would need to be evacuated in the event of an accident.

Ukraine again called for new sanctions on Russia and highlighted the risks and consequences of a catastrophe at Zaporizhzhia, where fresh shelling nearby has reignited a blame game between both sides. Ukrainian and Russian officials have traded accusations over who is responsible for attacks close to the nuclear plant.

REUTERS