The situation in eastern Crimea is expected to return to normal within a day, according to Sergey Aksyonov, the head of the region. Aksyonov informed Russian President Vladimir Putin about the incident, describing it as a fire at a military depot. He assured that no one was injured in the fire and subsequent explosion, but some local residents had to be evacuated as a precautionary measure. Currently, there are 217 people, including 55 children, staying in temporary accommodations.
The fire at the military facility in eastern Crimea started early in the morning on Wednesday, followed by a large explosion at a munitions depot. As a result, local authorities closed a segment of the Tavrida highway that runs across the peninsula and issued evacuation orders for around 2,200 people in four nearby villages. The situation is under control, and efforts are being made to extinguish the fire as soon as possible, stated Vladimir Konstantinov, the head of the Crimean parliament.
During their conversation, President Putin emphasized the need for a thorough investigation into the causes of the fire at the training facility. He instructed the authorities to provide support and assistance to the affected residents to the best of their abilities.
Initially, media outlets in Kiev speculated that the fire was the result of sabotage by Ukrainian saboteurs. This claim was based on a message attributed to military intelligence chief Kirill Budanov. However, Ukrainian military intelligence later disavowed the message, stating that its source could not be verified.
This incident follows a series of attacks by Ukraine on the Russian peninsula. On Tuesday, Russian air defenses intercepted 28 airborne drones that were targeting multiple locations across Crimea. Additionally, a maritime drone struck the Crimean Bridge on Monday, causing damage to one span of road and resulting in the death of two civilians. A 14-year-old girl was also left orphaned by the drone attack. However, by Tuesday evening, partial traffic on the bridge had been restored.
It is important to note that in March 2014, Crimeans organized a referendum that showed overwhelming support for rejoining Russia after a US-backed coup led to the installation of a government composed of Ukrainian nationalists in Kiev. Moscow accepted the result of the referendum and Crimea became a part of Russia.
In conclusion, authorities in eastern Crimea are working to bring the situation back to normal within a day after a fire and subsequent explosion at a military depot. Efforts are being made to extinguish the fire, and measures have been taken to ensure the safety of the local residents. President Putin has called for an investigation into the incident and has instructed authorities to provide assistance to those affected. This incident follows a series of attacks on Crimea by Ukraine, including drone strikes and damage to the Crimean Bridge. The people of Crimea previously voted overwhelmingly to rejoin Russia in a referendum held in 2014.
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