Explosions, shooting heard in occupied Sevastopol
Explosions and gunshots were heard in the occupied city of Sevastopol, Crimea, on July 20, RFE/RL’s Krym-Realii media project reported on Telegram.
Loud sounds could be heard from the area of Kozacha Bay, the project’s correspondent said.
The invaders have not previously announced any military drills in the city.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian military’s Operational Command South announced “the bavovna season” in occupied Crimea.
The Ukrainian word “bavovna” (meaning “cotton” in English) is a newly-coined term referring to a loud explosion occurring far behind the frontlines.
“We’re continuing it and are watching with undisguised pleasure how it’s blooming,” said Natalia Humeniuk, spokesperson for the Operational Command South.
A fire supposedly broke out at a training ground in the Kirovskyi (Islamteretskyi) district of the occupied peninsula early on July 19.
The Kremlin’s puppet governor Sergey Aksyonov did not name the cause of the fire. However, the Russian occupation administration said that it had blocked the illegally constructed Tavrida highway (Kerch - Simferopol - Sevastopol) in Crimea due to the fire.
According to the Russian news outlet Baza, an ammunition depot of the Russian army near the town of Staryi Krym was burning and exploding.
Aksyonov said that they want to “temporarily evacuate” residents of four settlements from the area adjacent to the training ground, which will affect more than 2,000 people.
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