Explosions near Russian air base in Crimea

Smoke bellowing from explosions near Russian military air base near Crimea. - DW News

Footage circulating on social media shows black smoke rising in the area of a Russian military air base in Crimea. Meanwhile, Russian oil transit has been reportedly halted to three EU countries.

Several major explosions took place in an area near a Russian military air base in Moscow-annexed Crimea, local officials confirmed on Tuesday. Kyiv has denied responsibility for the incident.

The blasts took place in the town of Novofedorivka, which is also a popular tourist destination. Images and video shared on social media show plumes of black smoke rising from the site. Emergency crews rushed to the scene. 

One person was killed, according to the regional leader of Crimea, while the region's top health official said five people, including a child, had been injured.

Russsia's defense ministry denied reports that there had been an attack, saying the blasts were caused by the detonation of aviation ammunition.

The Russian governor of Crimea, Sergei Aksyonov, said in a post on Telegram that he was traveling to the area and that the "circumstances are being clarified."

A close aide to Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelenskyy denied responsibility for the explosion, telling TV Rain: "What would we have to do with this?"

Russian troops annexed Crimea in 2014 in a move not recognized by most other countries. The peninsula, however, has been largely spared from the intense shelling seen in other areas of eastern and southern Ukraine since Russia invaded the country at the end of February.

In his Tuesday night address after the explosions, Zelenskyy the Black Sea "cannot be safe as long as Crimea is occupied."

"This Russian war against Ukraine and against the entire free Europe began with Crimea and must end with Crimea — with its liberation," he added. - DW News