Russian cruise missiles destroyed in Crimea blast: Ukraine

Russian “Kalibr” cruise missiles were destroyed in an explosion as they were being transported by train to Russia’s Black Sea fleet in annexed Crimea, Ukraine’s Defence Ministry said Monday evening.

Ukrainian authorities stopped short of taking responsibility for the attack but said the strike should prompt Russia to leave the Black Sea peninsula it illegally stole from Ukraine in 2014.

“Right now, the way ahead (for Russian forces in Crimea) is clear — they need to make their way out by rail already,” said Natalia Humeniuk, spokesperson for Ukraine’s southern operational command.

Missiles carried by rail were destroyed by an explosion in Dzhankoi, a key railroad junction in the Crimea peninsula, Ukraine’s Defence Ministry said late Monday evening.

The agency implied that Kyiv was behind the attack, saying the action furthers “the process of Russia’s demilitarization, and prepares the Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea for de-occupation.”

The missiles, designed to be launched from surface ships in Russia’s Black Sea fleet, had a range of over 1,550 miles on land and 233 miles at sea, Ukraine’s Defence Ministry said.

Russian-installed authorities in Crimea said that Ukrainian drones targeted civilian facilities in Dzhankoi.

Ihor Ivin, the Russian-installed head of the Dzhankoi administration, said the city had come under attack from drones.

A 33-year-old man was injured by a downed drone.

He was taken to the hospital to be treated for his injuries but is expected to survive.

Debris from the explosion damaged power lines, a house, a store and a college building, Ivin said.

Oleg Kryunchkov, an adviser to the head of Crimea Sergei Aksenov, said that all the drones were aimed at civilian targets.

“All the drones targeted civilian sites. One was hit over the Dzhankoi technical school and came down between the instruction area and a student residence,” he said on his Telegram channel.

“There are no military sites nearby. The others were downed in residential areas. In addition to explosives, each one carried shrapnel.”

A Russian military air base is located near Dzhankoi and many Ukrainian officials have claimed that the city and surrounding areas have turned into the largest Russian military base in Crimea.

With Post wires.