Ukraine says 9 Russian warplanes destroyed in Crimea blasts
- Moscow has denied that its airbase was attacked, or that any aircraft were damaged, but satellite images show at least 7 fighter jets were blown up
- Ukraine officials have not claimed responsibility for the blasts, instead mocking Russia’s explanation that a careless smoker might have caused the detonations
Ukraine said on Wednesday that nine Russian warplanes were destroyed in a deadly string of explosions at an airbase in Crimea that appeared to be the result of a Ukrainian attack, which would represent a significant escalation in the war.
Russia denied any aircraft were damaged in Tuesday’s blasts – or that any attack took place. But satellite photos clearly showed at least seven fighter planes at the base had been blown up and others probably damaged.
Ukrainian officials stopped short of publicly claiming responsibility for the explosions, while mocking Russia’s explanation that a careless smoker might have caused ammunition at the Saki airbase to catch fire and blow up.
Analysts also said that explanation does not make sense and that the Ukrainians could have used anti-ship missiles to strike the base.
If Ukrainian forces were, in fact, responsible for the blasts, it would be the first known major attack on a Russian military site on the Crimean Peninsula, which was seized from Ukraine by the Kremlin in 2014. Russian warplanes have used Saki to strike areas in Ukraine’s south.