Ukrainian officials say an explosion in Russian-occupied Crimea has destroyed a shipment of Kalibr cruise missiles. The explosion follows Russian President Vladimir Putin’s unannounced visit to the peninsula on Saturday. Photo by EPA-EFE/Sputnik/Kremlin Pool/Mandatory Credit
March 21 (UPI) — The Ukrainian Ministry of Defense said an explosion in Dzhankoi, in Russian-occupied Crimea, destroyed a shipment of Russian cruise missiles. Ukrainian defense intelligence reported the blast on Monday but did not specify a cause, or explicitly claim involvement. Advertisement
“An explosion in Dzhankoi city in the north of temporarily occupied Crimea destroyed Russian Kalibr-KN cruise missiles as they were being transported by rail,” it said.
Kalibr-NK missiles are often deployed by Russia’s Black Sea Fleet, which operates out of occupied Crimea, and used for strikes against Ukrainian targets.
The Ukrainian Ministry of Defense said the alleged strikes “continue the process of Russia’s demilitarization and prepare the Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea for de-occupation.”
Oleg Kryuchkov, an adviser to the Kremlin-appointed leader in Crimea alleged that the blast was caused by drones “aimed at civilian objects.”
“One was shot down over the Dzhankoi technical school and fell between the academic building and the dormitory,” Kryuchkov said. “There were no military facilities nearby.”
Sergei Aksyonov, a top-ranking, Russian-installed official in occupied Crimea, said one person was injured, but did not mention military targets and told residents to ignore “fakes disseminated by Ukrainian propaganda.”
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The explosion comes shortly after Russian President Vladimir Putin’s unannounced visit to occupied Crimea on Saturday.
Last week, the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant against Putin for illegally transferring Ukrainian children from occupied territory to Russia.
Ukrainian officials say Crimea explosion destroyed Russian cruise missile shipment
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