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world news Diaranson 10 augustus 2022

Large explosions rock Russian military air base in Crimea

(AP) — Powerful explo- The Russians fired over
sions rocked a Russian air 120 rockets at the town of
base in Crimea and sent Nikopol, across the Dnieper
towering clouds of smoke River from the plant, Dni-
over the landscape Tues- propetrovsk Gov. Valentyn
day in what may mark an Reznichenko said. Several
escalation of the war in apartment buildings and in-
Ukraine. At least one per- dustrial sites were damaged,
son was killed and several he said.
others were wounded, au-
thorities said. Ukraine and Russia have ac-
cused each other of shelling
Russia’s Defense Ministry the power station, Europe’s
denied the Saki base on the biggest nuclear plant, stoking
Black Sea had been shelled international fears of a catas-
and said instead that muni- trophe.
tions had blown up there. But
Ukrainian social networks The governor of the region
were abuzz with speculation where the plant is situated,
that it was hit by Ukrainian- Oleksandr Starukh, said
fired long-range missiles. Tuesday that radiation levels
were normal. But he warned
Videos posted on social net- that an accident could spread
works showed sunbathers radiation whichever way the
fleeing a nearby beach as wind blows, carrying it to
huge flames and pillars of tablish the cause of the fire, in 2014. A smaller explosion health authorities said nine Moscow and other Russian
smoke rose over the horizon but once again recalls the last month at the headquar- people were wounded, one cities.
from multiple points, ac- rules of fire safety and the ters of Russia’s Black Sea of whom remained hospital-
companied by loud booms. prohibition of smoking in Fleet in the Crimean port of ized. Others were treated for A Russian-installed official
Crimea Today News said on unspecified places.” Sevastopol was blamed on cuts from shards of glass and in the partially occupied Za-
Telegram that witnesses re- Ukrainian saboteurs using a released. porizhzhia region said an air
ported fire on a runway and During the war, Russia has makeshift drone. defense system at the plant
damage to nearby homes as reported numerous fires Officials in Moscow have would be reinforced in the
a result of what it said were and explosions at munitions Russian warplanes have used long warned Ukraine that aftermath of last week’s shell-
dozens of blasts. storage sites on its territory the Saki base to strike areas any attack on Crimea would ing. Evgeny Balitsky, head of
near the Ukrainian border, in Ukraine’s south on short trigger massive retaliation, the Kremlin-backed admin-
Russia’s state news agency blaming some of them on notice. including strikes on “deci- istration, told Russian state
Tass quoted an unidentified Ukrainian strikes. Ukrainian sion-making centers” in Kyiv. TV that power lines and oth-
ministry source as saying the authorities have mostly re- Crimea’s regional leader er damaged portions of the
explosions’ primary cause mained mum about the inci- Sergei Aksyonov said ambu- Earlier Tuesday, Ukrainian plant were restored.
appeared to be a “violation dents. lances and medical helicop- officials reported at least
of fire safety requirements.” ters were sent to the base and three Ukrainian civilians The Ukrainians in recent
The ministry said no war- If Ukrainian forces were, in the area was sealed off within were killed and 23 wounded weeks have been mounting
planes were damaged. fact, responsible for the blasts a radius of five kilometers by Russian shelling in 24 counterattacks in Russian-
at the air base, it would mark (three miles). hours, including an attack occupied areas of southern
Ukraine’s Defense Ministry the first known major attack not far from the Russian-oc- Ukraine while trying to hold
said sarcastically on Face- on a Russian military site Youtube video thumbnail cupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear off the Kremlin’s forces in
book: “The Ministry of De- on the Crimean Peninsula, One person was killed, power plant. the industrial Donbas region
fense of Ukraine cannot es- which the Kremlin annexed Aksyonov said. Crimean in the east.

Israel to allow Palestinians from West Bank

to use airport

(AP) — Palestinians from city of Eilat’s Ramon airport travel to Jordan’s capital Am-
the occupied West Bank to Antalya, Turkey, for Pal- man an hour away, through a
will soon be allowed to estinians. Flights to Istanbul crowded Israeli border cross-
travel on flights to Turkey would begin in September. ing. The crossing isn’t open
out of an Israeli airport, There was no immediate 24 hours a day, forcing many
the Israel Airports Au- comment from the Palestin- travelers to pay to stay in a
thority said Tuesday. ian Authority, which admin- hotel ahead of their flight. airport like any other traveler. miles) from Bethlehem, is
isters parts of the West Bank There are also travel costs The official said the initial Israel’s secondary airport, af-
The move is part of a series and cooperates with Israel on and crossing fees that make phase is a pilot project but ter Ben-Gurion International
of gestures Israel says it is security matters. the journey an added finan- could be expanded to addi- Airport. It is smaller, has
making to improve the liv- cial burden. Gaza has been tional locations if it is suc- fewer flights and destinations
ing conditions of Palestinians Palestinians from the West under an Israeli-Egyptian cessful. The official, who was and is less busy. It lies next to
in both the West Bank and Bank and Gaza do not have blockade since the militant not authorized to discuss the the resort city of Eilat.
the Gaza Strip. Critics say their own airport and must Hamas group seized power project with media and spoke Israel captured the West Bank
the measures do not address apply for a hard-to-obtain in 2007, and all movement on condition of anonymity, and Gaza in the 1967 Mideast
the daily humiliations of the airport permit to use Israel’s in and out of the territory is said the first travelers would war, and withdrew soldiers
decades-long occupation or Ben Gurion International heavily restricted. leave from the West Bank and settlers from Gaza two
pave the road for Palestin- Airport. Such permits are An Israeli security official city of Bethlehem on Aug. years before the Hamas take-
ian statehood. The airports only approved, if at all, short- said Palestinians would board 22. There are no immediate over. The Palestinians want
authority said in a statement ly before takeoff. shuttles from the West Bank, plans to allow Palestinians both territories to be part of
that beginning in late August undergo a security screen- from Gaza to use the airport. their future state. There have
there will be twice-weekly Those in the West Bank ing at an Israeli crossing and Ramon airport, which is been no serious peace talks in
flights from the southern wishing to fly abroad must then go through the Ramon about 300 kilometers (185 more than a decade.