A Ukrainian drone assault on Moscow-annexed Crimea triggered the “detonation” of an ammunition depot Saturday, prompting authorities to evacuate everybody in a 5-kilometer (3.1-mile) radius and briefly droop street site visitors on the bridge linking the peninsula to Russia, the Moscow-installed regional governor mentioned.
Sergei Aksyonov mentioned there was an explosion on the depot in Krasnohvardiiske in central Crimea however reported no injury or casualties. Footage shared by state media confirmed a thick cloud of gray smoke on the website.
Aksyonov blamed it on a Ukrainian drone assault. There was no fast remark from Kyiv.
Russia seized and annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014, eight years earlier than launching its full-scale invasion of the nation.
The temporary halting of site visitors on the Crimean Bridge, about 180 kilometers to the east of the drone incident, got here 5 days after explosions there killed two folks and broken a bit of roadway – the second main assault on the bridge for the reason that begin of the conflict.
The 19-kilometer street and rail bridge is an important logistics hyperlink for Russian forces, and can be closely utilized by Russian vacationers who flock to Crimea in summer season.
Russia accuses Ukraine of finishing up the assaults on the bridge. Officials in Kyiv have welcomed them, with out instantly claiming duty.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy mentioned on Friday that the bridge was a legit goal as a result of it was a navy provide route for Russia.
“This is the route used to feed the war with ammunition and this is being done on a daily basis,” he mentioned.
Russia is on excessive alert for incidents on the bridge, and an official Telegram channel tells folks to not panic within the occasion of an alarm.
In an extra signal of safety issues in Crimea, Oleg Kryuchkov, an adviser to Aksyonov, warned folks to not submit photos of vital infrastructure on the web.
He urged individuals who knew the authors of such posts to report them to the inside ministry or the FSB safety service.
“Remember that a video posted on the web of military or other critical facilities is work for the enemy,” he mentioned.
Source: www.dailysabah.com
