Elite Ukrainian unit responsible for explosions in Crimea – NYT

The explosions that occurred in Crimea, near Dzhankoi, on August 16 could have been caused by Ukrainian forces.

The New York Times writes about this, citing a top Ukrainian official.

He, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said that “an elite Ukrainian military unit operating behind enemy lines” was responsible for the blasts.

Russia’s Defense Ministry said in a statement that the morning explosions near Dzhankoi were an act of sabotage.

“On the morning of August 16, as a result of sabotage, a military depot was damaged in the area of the Dzhankoi settlement,” the statement says.

A number of Ukrainian politicians hinted at Ukraine’s involvement in the destruction of the enemy’s depot.

Andriy Yermak, the head of the presidential office in Ukraine, said that the Armed Forces of Ukraine would continue the “demilitarization” of Crimea until they achieved the complete occupation of Crimea.

🇺🇦Операція «демілітаризація» у ювелірному стилі ЗСУ продовжиться до повної деокупації українських територій. Наші воїни – кращі спонсори гарного настрою.

Крим – це Україна.

— Andriy Yermak (@AndriyYermak) August 16, 2022

Mykhailo Podolyak, adviser to the Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, also hinted at demilitarisation in action.

Ранок біля Джанкоя почався з вибухів. Ще раз нагадаю, що Крим нормальної країни — це про Чорне море, гори, відпочинок і туризм. А окупований російськими бойовиками Крим — це про вибухи складів і зростання смертельної небезпеки для загарбників і злодіїв. Демілітаризація в дії.

— Михайло Подоляк (@Podolyak_M) August 16, 2022

Oleksiy Danilov, Secretary of the National Security Council, reacted to the events in Crimea with a laconic tweet.

He published the song “Air alarm in Crimea.”

https://twitter.com/OleksiyDanilov/status/1559493175844159489?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1559493175844159489%7Ctwgr%5Eed29888870595659e92270f12a3fc90c3d488d94%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fmil.in.ua%2Fuk%2Fnews%2Fdo-vybuhiv-poblyzu-dzhankoya-prychetnyj-elitnyj-ukrayinskyj-pidrozdil-nyt%2F

As previously reported, last week, explosions took place at the airfield in Novofedorivka, where the 43rd Fighter Aviation Regiment of the Russian Air Force is based.

Recorded losses:

• Five Su-24s destroyed;
• Three Su-30SM destroyed;
• One Su-30SM was damaged;
• Three Su-24s are probably damaged.

The Ministry of Defense of Russia, through the Russian media, stated that the cause of the explosions at the military airfield in the village of Novofedorivka (Saki) was the “detonation of several aviation munitions.”

The Washington Post, citing an anonymous source in the Ukrainian government, reported that the explosions at the air base were the work of Special Operations Forces fighters.