A wave of explosions rocked Russian occupied Crimea in the early hours of 16 May as Ukrainian forces targeted key enemy military facilities, including ammunition depots and airfields. The attacks, reported across multiple areas including Sevastopol, Perevalnoye, Bakhchisarai, Balaklava and the vicinity of the Belbek and Kacha airfields, left plumes of smoke rising into the Crimean sky.
At approximately 6:15 in the morning, a powerful blast shook Sevastopol. Russian air defence systems, including the Pantsir S1, were seen in action near the Sevastopol Naval School named after Nakhimov. The trace of a missile launch was captured in local photographs. Residents reported hearing further explosions across the city throughout the morning, suggesting sustained activity by Ukraine’s defence forces.
The most serious damage appears to have been inflicted on the Russian military base in Perevalnoye, home to the 126th separate coastal defence brigade of the Russian Black Sea Fleet. Eyewitnesses described continuous explosions and rising smoke, indicating that a major ammunition depot was struck. Reports suggest that emergency services, including a significant number of ambulances, were dispatched from Simferopol, though Alushta was geographically closer.
The ATESH partisan movement, known for tracking Russian activity in Crimea, confirmed that hangars storing military equipment were also hit. Explosions were recorded at the 126th brigade’s warehouse and at the base of the 8th separate artillery regiment. Unverified reports indicate there were fatalities among Russian forces on duty at the depot at the time of the strike.
In Bakhchisarai and Balaklava, additional detonations were reported, further indicating the scope of Ukraine’s coordinated offensive. In his public statement, the Russian-appointed proxy head of Sevastopol, Mikhail Razvozhayev, claimed that six Ukrainian drones were shot down. However, he did not acknowledge the damage or casualties resulting from the strikes.
Throughout Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine, the occupied Crimean Peninsula has remained a key target for Ukrainian forces. Previous precision strikes have already weakened the operational capability of the Russian Black Sea Fleet.
