reports of detonations
Crimea: Major evacuation after fire on military site
07/19/2023, 09:50 am
Crimea is once again at the center of the Ukraine conflict. After the attack on the Kerch Bridge, there is now a major fire on the peninsula. According to reports, an ammunition depot could have been hit. The Russian side admits to evacuating thousands of people.
According to the authorities, a fire broke out on a military site in the east of the Crimean peninsula annexed by Russia. According to the Russian governor of Crimea, Sergei Aksyonov, in the online service Telegram, the evacuation of thousands of civilians has been ordered. “Temporary evacuation of residents of four settlements bordering the military compound in Kirov district is planned,” Aksyonov said. “That’s more than 2,000 people.”
The Russian online media “Mash” and “Baza”, which are close to the security services, reported that detonations could be heard. According to “Mash”, an ammunition depot is on fire. There are also such assumptions in social networks. Anton Gerashchenko, an adviser to Ukraine’s Interior Minister, shared a video purported to show an explosion. So far, however, the Russian authorities have not provided any information about the cause of the fire and have not confirmed any explosions of ammunition.
Allegedly no casualties on the Russian side
Aksyonov said the highway between the port of Kerch in eastern Crimea and the city of Sevastopol in the south-west of the peninsula will be closed because of the fire. He also said on Telegram that the authorities were investigating the causes of the fire. “There were no casualties. Aid is being given to the evacuees.” More relevant information will be published later on his channel.
Since the beginning of the offensive in Ukraine in February 2022, the Crimean Peninsula has been the target of attacks on a regular basis. On Monday there was a Ukrainian attack on the symbolically and strategically important bridge between Russia and the Crimean Peninsula. This is the second time the bridge has been damaged in ten months.