Ukraine Claims 9 Russian Military Planes Destroyed In Blasts; Zelensky Calls For Liberation Of Crimea

A series of explosions at an air base in Crimea destroyed nine Russian jets, Ukrainian military officials claimed Wednesday.

Numerous explosions reportedly struck Russia's Saki military airbase, located on the western coast of Crimea, on Tuesday, leaving one dead and 13 others injured.

Russia, however, denied the officials' claims and said no aircraft were damaged. But satellite images showed at least seven fighter planes had been destroyed completely and others likely damaged, the Associated Press reported.

In a nightly address following Tuesday's explosions, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said, "This Russian war against Ukraine and against entire free Europe began with Crimea and must end with Crimea — with its liberation. Crimea is Ukrainian, and we will never give it up." He did not say anything about the blasts.

Footage from the scene showed large plumes of smoke rising into the air. Russia's defense ministry reportedly claimed the explosions were caused by aviation munitions.

The ministry, in a statement, said a number of aviation munitions detonated at 3.20 p.m. Tuesday in the airfield near the village of Novofedorivka, state-owned news agency RIA Novosti reported.

Although Kyiv has not made an official comment, Oleksiy Arestovych, a Ukrainian presidential adviser, implied that the explosions may have been the result of either Ukrainian-made long-range weapons or the work of Ukrainian insurgents operating in Crimea.

Oleh Zhdanov, a military expert for Ukraine, said, "Official Kyiv has stayed quiet about it, but the military accepts that it was a Ukrainian strike."

The Ukrainian president also highlighted Crimea's historical significance for Ukrainians, noting that the peninsula "is home to peoples whose national cultures and aspirations were founded in Crimea. As a result, as we fight for the liberation of the peninsula, we are also fighting to reestablish the state's territorial integrity and to allow Ukraine's indigenous peoples to return home."

Ukrainian officials have refrained from openly taking credit for the explosions, while mocking Russia's claim that armaments at the Saki air base caught fire and blew up. Rather, they emphasized the significance of the peninsula that Moscow annexed eight years ago, the AP report said.

Tourists fled in fear as smoke rose over the neighboring coastline following Tuesday's explosions.

Natalia Lipovaya, a tourist, said "the earth was gone from under my feet."

Russia regards Crimea as a part of its territory after seizing it from Ukraine in 2014. However, the peninsula is considered to be Ukrainian territory by Kyiv and its allies, who rejected the annexation.