Explosions, fire reported at military airfield in occupied Crimea

Editor's note: This is a developing story and is being updated.

Explosions were reported in the town of Dzhankoi in occupied Crimea near a military airfield during the early hours of April 17, according to Russian-affiliated telegram channels. Following the explosions, a large-scale fire reportedly broke out at the airfield.

A Moscow-installed official in the Crimean illegal occupation government later announced the closure of a highway linking Dzhankoy with the village of Pobiedne.

The highway is located in the area of the said military airfield, according to Krym. Realii media outlet.

There have been no official reports on the explosions at the time of the publication.

According to an online aviation database, the Russian Navy's Dzhankoi airbase is located just outside the town, and the 39th helicopter regiment of the 27th mixed aviation division is stationed there. The regiment reportedly flies several different attack helicopters, including the Russian Ka-52 Alligator attack helicopter, the Mi-8, Mi-28N, and the Mi-35M.

The Ka-52 Alligator is an updated twin-seat variant of Russia's Ka-50 attack helicopter designed to destroy enemy armored and unarmored ground targets, tanks, low-speed aerial targets, and personnel, according to the Airforce Technology website.

Russia has lost over 300 combat helicopters since the start of the full-scale invasion on Feb. 24, 2022, the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces reported earlier this year.

In recent months, Ukraine has intensified its attacks on occupied Crimea, targeting Russian military assets in and around the Black Sea.

Ukrainian forces on April 15 carried out a missile attack on a command post in Crimea where top Russian offices were deployed, a military intelligence source told the Kyiv Independent.

Commander: Ukraine downs Russian Ka-52 attack helicopter near Avdiivka

Ukrainian forces shot down a Russian Ka-52 Alligator attack helicopter near Avdiivka in Donetsk Oblast on Feb. 7, Oleksandr Tarnavskyi, the commander of Ukraine’s Tavria group fighting on the southeastern front lines, said on Feb. 8.

The Kyiv IndependentDinara Khalilova