NYT: “Elite Ukrainian unit” was behind explosions at military base near Dzhankoy

A high-ranking Ukrainian official told “The New York Times” newspaper that an "elite Ukrainian unit" was behind the explosions at the military base in the Maiske (Dzhankoy district), which was operating behind enemy lines. He did not disclose other details of the operation.

The Ministry of Defense of Russia called the explosions of ammunition in the village of Maiske (Dzhankoy district) is a "sabotage". Civil facilities, power lines, a power station, and a railway line were affected by the "sabotage". According to the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, there are no "seriously injured" people.

NYT journalists note: despite the fact that the Ukrainian authorities have not officially commented on the explosions, the adviser of the PO, Mykhailo Podolyak, "seems to have hinted that Ukraine is involved" on Twitter.

"I will remind you once again that the Crimea of a normal country is about the Black Sea, mountains, recreation and tourism. And Crimea, occupied by Russian militants, is about warehouse explosions and the growing danger of death for invaders and thieves. Demilitarization in action," the publication quoted Podolyakʼs comment.

The head of the Presidentʼs Office, Andriy Yermak, in turn, stated that the Armed Forces of Ukraine will continue the demilitarization of Crimea and other captured territories until they achieve the complete de-occupation of Ukrainian territories.

The so-called “head” of Crimea, Serhiy Aksyonov, stated that after the detonation of ammunition in the Dzhankoy district on the peninsula, a state of regional emergency was introduced. About two thousand people have already been evacuated from the settlement.

The permanent representative of Ukraine in Crimea, Tamila Tasheva, reported that after the explosion, long queues formed to leave the peninsula.

• On the morning of August 16, the Ministry of Defense of Russia reported a detonation at the temporary ammunition storage site in the village of Maiske (Dzhankoy district). The explosion damaged the railway, the route of trains heading to Crimea from Russia has already been changed: the trains will stop at “Vladyslavivka” station (a little more than 100 km from Dzhankoy).