Crimea: fire and explosion of ammunition in a Russian base – Le Figaro

A fire that caused an explosion of ammunition occurred Tuesday morning August 16 at a Russian military base in Crimea, a peninsula annexed by Russia, announced the Russian Ministry of Defense. The fire broke out around 03:15 GMT in a temporary ammunition depot of a Russian base in the district of Djankoï (north), specified the ministry in an official statement, quoted by the Russian press agencies. According to the governor of Crimea, Sergey Aksionov, who went to the scene, two civilians were injured, and the evacuation of the inhabitants of a nearby village was underway. “As a result of the fire, a detonation of ammunition occurred,” he said. At 06:15 GMT, the explosion was still continuing, Sergei Aksionov said on Telegram. This incident comes a week after an explosion of ammunition intended for military aviation at a depot located on the territory of the Saki military airfield in western Crimea. These explosions left one dead and several injured. Read also War in Ukraine: explosions near a Russian military airfield in Crimea, one deadCrimea, a peninsula of Ukraine annexed in 2014 by Moscow, is on the front line of the offensive military campaign that Russia has been carrying out against its Ukrainian neighbor since February 24. Russian planes take off almost daily from Crimea to strike targets in regions under the control of kyiv and several areas of this peninsula are located within the range of Ukrainian guns and drones. Despite the conflict, Crimea has remained an important vacation spot for many Russians who continue to enjoy summer on its beaches. “The morning near Djankoï began with explosions”, immediately reacted on Twitter the adviser to the Ukrainian presidency, Mikhaïlo Podoliak. “Crimea in a normal country is the Black Sea, mountains, recreation and tourism. But the Crimea occupied by the Russians, it is explosions of the ammunition depots and a high risk of death for the invaders and the thieves”, he launched. SEE ALSO – “50,000 children are still in the Donbass”, deplores the Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister