KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukraine’s air force stated Wednesday that nine Russian warplanes had been destroyed in enormous explosions at an air foundation in Crimea amid speculation they were being the end result of a Ukrainian assault that would signify a substantial escalation in the war.

Russia denied any plane had been broken in Tuesday’s blasts — or that any assault took spot.

Ukrainian officials have stopped brief of publicly claiming responsibility for the explosions, although poking enjoyable at Russia’s clarification that munitions at the Saki air base caught fireplace and blew up. Analysts have also stated that explanation doesn’t make perception and that the Ukrainians could have applied anti-ship missiles to strike the foundation.

Although dodging credit score, numerous Ukrainian officers have pointedly underscored the worth of the peninsula, which Moscow annexed 8 a long time in the past.

Crimea retains substantial strategic and symbolic importance for both equally Ukraine and Russia — even more emphasized by how both danced all-around what actually happened. The Kremlin’s desire that Ukraine identify Crimea as component of Russia has been a single of its crucial circumstances for ending the hostilities, but Ukraine has vowed to generate the Russians from the peninsula and all other occupied territories.

Hours following the blast, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy promised again to do just that.

“This Russian war in opposition to Ukraine and from all of totally free Europe started with Crimea and should end with Crimea — its liberation,” he mentioned in his nightly tackle.

The explosions, which killed one human being and wounded 14, sent holidaymakers fleeing in worry as plumes of smoke towered more than the close by coastline. Video clip showed shattered home windows and holes in the brick function of some structures.

Crimea’s regional chief, Sergei Aksyonov, mentioned some 250 citizens were being moved to short-term housing after dozens of apartment structures had been ruined.

But Russian authorities sought to downplay the explosions on Wednesday, expressing all lodges and beach locations had been unaffected on the peninsula, which is a well-known tourist place for quite a few…