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Russian cruise missiles destroyed in Crimea explosion: Ukraine

21.03.2023 14:15
A powerful explosion in the northern Crimean city of Dzhankoi this week destroyed Russian cruise missiles intended for use by Moscow’s Black Sea fleet, Ukraine’s defence ministry has said.
Fragments of a Russian cruise missile are arranged on the ground in Vinnytsia, central Ukraine, where 23 civilians were reportedly killed in a Russian attack using Kalibr cruise missiles launched  from a submarine in the Black Sea on July 14, 2022.
Fragments of a Russian cruise missile are arranged on the ground in Vinnytsia, central Ukraine, where 23 civilians were reportedly killed in a Russian attack using Kalibr cruise missiles launched from a submarine in the Black Sea on July 14, 2022.Photo: Oleksandr Lapin/PAP/UKRINFORM

“The explosions continue the process of Russia’s demilitarisation and prepare the Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea for de-occupation,” the Ukrainian defence ministry said on Monday, as quoted by The UK Defence Journal.

According to Kyiv, the Kalibr-KN cruise missiles, which were being transported by rail, had an operational range exceeding 2,500 km on land and 375 km at sea.

Meanwhile, Anton Gerashchenko, an adviser to Ukraine’s interior ministry, tweeted footage he said showed the train station area in Dzhankoi.

It showed a single, loud and fiery explosion, which appeared to send a plume of smoke into the night sky, news outlets reported.

Ukraine acknowledged the blasts, but did not explicitly claim responsibility for the incident, The UK Defence Journal said.

It added: “If verified, this would represent a rare action by Ukraine’s military in Crimea, an area occupied since 2014.”

Tuesday is day 391 of Russia’s war on Ukraine.

Source: The UK Defence Journal, The Guardian, ukrinform.netwww.tvp.info