Media: Explosions reported across occupied Crimea
Editor's note: This is a developing story and is being updated.
Explosions were reported in Sevastopol, Yevpatoriia, and Alushta in occupied Crimea during the late hours of May 23, according to Suspilne Crimea.
At around 10:18 p.m. local time, Suspilne reported hearing explosions in Yevpatoriia. By 10:30 p.m., passenger transport had been suspended in Sevastopol. A video later surfaced online presumably depicting an explosion in the Alushta district on the southern coast of Crimea. At least five explosions were reported in Alushta.
Within the hour, the Telegram channel Krym Realii announced that residents heard three explosions near the territory of the Belbek airfield in Sevastopol, as well as the work of air defense from Novofedorivka. A total of eight explosions were allegedly heard.
The Crimean Wind telegram channel reported around 12:26 a.m. that a fire had broken out at a military site in the community of Semydvir'ya, about 4 kilometers east of Alushta. Emergency crews are currently on-scene.
Additional sounds of explosions were reported by residents of Sevastopol around 3 a.m., according to Crimean Wind.
Sergey Aksenov, the head of Russian occupation authorities in Crimea, alleged that as a result of the missile attack on the Simferopol region, two bystanders were killed. Damage to "empty" commercial property was also recorded in the Alushta area.
Dmytro Basmat
The Kyiv Independent could not verify these claims.
Ukrainian forces have launched several attacks against Russia's Belbek military airfield in occupied Crimea in recent weeks.
The Crimean Wind Telegram channel claimed the airfield was attacked late on May 15 and that a fuel depot caught fire, while Russia's Defense Ministry claimed five U.S.-supplied ATACMS missiles were intercepted overnight by "air defense systems on duty."
Attacks against the Belbek airfield were also reported the preceding night, which allegedly resulted in fires near the military facility.
Satellite images obtained by RFE/RL and The New York Times suggested two MiG-31s and one Su-27 were damaged if not totally destroyed.
Igor Kossov
