Dark smoke over Crimea
Russia reports “apartment fire” in military unit
September 9, 2023, 8:16 p.m
Since the beginning of its attack on Ukraine, Russia has used Crimea as a supply base for its southern occupation troops. Military facilities there are therefore often targeted in Kiev. Now a Russian military base is burning and Moscow sees mixed fortunes in the budget.
According to the occupiers, a fire broke out in a Russian military unit in the Crimean capital Simferopol. “There was an ordinary household fire in a military unit in Simferopol,” writes adviser to the Russian leadership on the annexed Black Sea peninsula, Oleg Kryuchkov. on Telegram. The fire has already been localized. According to him, two fire engines are in use.
However, a video of a large column of black smoke is widely shared on social networks. Citing local residents, there is also talk of a sound of explosion and gunfire, which is said to have occurred around 4 p.m. “The Ukrainian propaganda is trying to turn every fire in Simferopol into a ‘victory,'” Kryuchkov railed on Telegram. “It will not work.” According to him, the fire has been largely extinguished.
Crimea belongs to Ukraine under international law; Russia annexed it in 2014. Since the war of aggression began more than a year and a half ago, Kiev has repeatedly emphasized that it wants to liberate all occupied areas – including the peninsula. In recent months in particular, drone attacks against the Russian occupiers have increased on site. At the end of August, Ukraine even deployed a commando force to Crimea. The aim of the attacks is to disrupt the supply routes of the Russian occupation troops in southern Ukraine and to hit ammunition and fuel depots in the hinterland.
Moscow has been using Crimea as a supply base for its military since its war of aggression against Ukraine began in February 2022. The Russian leadership often portrays explosions and fires as accidental and tries to downplay them. After serious fires, it is often said that the smoking ban was violated.