KYIV, Ukraine — Two people were injured and infrastructure badly damaged early Tuesday when a large explosion rocked an ammunition depot in Russian-held Crimea in what the Kremlin called an “act of sabotage.” A senior Ukrainian government official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss a sensitive matter, said the blasts were the work of Ukrainian special forces operating deep behind enemy lines – the same forces believed to be responsible for a powerful attack against Russian air base in western Crimea last week marked a shift in Ukraine’s strategic capabilities. Russian media also reported on Tuesday that Crimean authorities were investigating a second attack on a different ammunition depot in south-central Crimea. The blast at the Crimean airport was the work of Ukrainian special forces, an official said Authorities in Crimea, the key Black Sea peninsula that Russia annexed in 2014, said a fire broke out at a warehouse near Dzhankoi in northern Crimea early Tuesday, causing ammunition stored inside to explode. Unverified footage on social media showed several thick columns of smoke interspersed with rapid-fire explosions and powerful fireballs, as local officials rushed to the scene and vowed to investigate the incident. “A military warehouse was damaged in an act of sabotage in the Zhankoy region on the morning of August 16,” the Russian Defense Ministry said. The powerful explosions damaged nearby buildings, power lines and train lines and caused the evacuation of thousands of residents, the ministry said, adding that no one was seriously injured. Sergei Aksionov, the Moscow-backed head of Crimea, reported two injuries as a result of the explosion and declared a regional state of emergency. On Tuesday, work was carried out to repair the local infrastructure. Ukrainian officials celebrated the explosion with statements on social media. “The morning near Dzhankoi started with explosions,” tweeted Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, describing the explosions as “demilitarization in action.” “A reminder: A normal country’s Crimea is about the Black Sea, mountains, recreation and tourism, but a Russian-occupied Crimea is about warehouse explosions and a high risk of death for intruders and thieves,” he said. “Operation ‘demilitarization’ in the high-precision style of the Ukrainian Armed Forces will continue until the full occupation of Ukrainian territories,” Andriy Yermak, Zelensky’s chief of staff, said on Twitter. “Our soldiers are the best sponsors of good cheer,” he added. “Crimea is Ukraine.” Details of how the apparent attack was carried out were not known and Kyiv has not officially claimed responsibility for it. But if confirmed, it would be the second successful strike in a week against Russian military targets in Crimea by Ukrainian special forces operating in Russian-held territory. A Ukrainian official said they were behind the powerful explosions that rocked the Saki airbase in Crimea last week. The ambitious attacks on both the military depot and air base in Crimea highlighted the strides Ukraine has made in developing its relatively nascent special forces capability, experts there said. “The development of our special forces is very recent and it came about with help from Western countries,” said Lyubov Tsybulska, an adviser to the government in Ukraine and founder of the Center for Strategic Communications and Information Security. Tsybulska described the forces as “highly motivated” and unencumbered by the country’s legacy of Soviet institutions. At least six explosions hit the Crimean air base in nearly an hour Russian media, citing locals, also reported on Tuesday that clouds of smoke were seen over an air base near Simferopol in south-central Ukraine. Russian newspaper Kommersant, citing unnamed sources, said authorities were investigating the possibility of a drone attack on a different ammunition depot. Around noon local time Tuesday, Oleksiy Arestovych, Zelensky’s military adviser, wrote in a Telegram post, “New explosions — at the Gvardeisky military air base.” Ukrainian military leaders hope that strikes like the one on Russia’s military depot on Tuesday could prove critical in weakening Moscow’s ability to strike any city across Ukraine and prevent it from seizing cities such as Mykolaiv and to create a corridor to Transnistria. “Hitting warehouses and breaking the supply chain means that Moscow will not be able to constantly bombard us with missile attacks that keep the country in fear,” Tsybulska said. “It’s important that we don’t allow them to do that.” Timsit reported from France and Khurshudyan from Georgia. Liz Sly and Adela Suliman contributed to this report.
War in Ukraine: What you need to know
The last: Grain shipments from Ukraine are being accelerated under the agreement reached by Ukraine, Russia, Turkey and the United Nations in July. Russia’s blockade of Ukraine’s Black Sea ports had sent food prices skyrocketing and raised fears of more famine in the Middle East and Africa. At least 18 ships, including cargoes of wheat, corn and sunflower oil, have departed. The battle: The conflict on the ground continues as Russia uses its heavy artillery advantage to pound Ukrainian forces, which have at times managed to put up stiff resistance. In the south, Ukraine’s hopes rest on liberating the Russian-held Kherson region, and eventually Crimea, which Russia seized in 2014. Fears of a disaster at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant persist as both sides accuse each other of they bomb. The weapons: Western arms supplies are helping Ukraine slow Russian advances. US-supplied High Mobility Artillery Missile Systems (HIMARS) allow Ukrainian forces to strike further behind Russian lines against Russian artillery. Russia has used a range of weapons against Ukraine, some of which have drawn the attention and concern of analysts. Photos: Washington Post photographers have been on the ground since the start of the war — here are some of their strongest works. How you can help: Here are ways those in the US can help support the Ukrainian people as well as the donations people have made around the world. Read his full coverage Russia-Ukraine crisis. Are you on Telegram? Subscribe to our channel for updates and exclusive video.
