Crimea saw further disruption on Wednesday. Some 2,200 residents were evacuated from four villages near a military training range after a fire triggered hours of explosions at a nearby ammunition depot.
Russian-installed officials also shut a 12-km (7.5-mile) section of the Tavrida motorway that links the cities of Simferopol and Sevastopol in southern Crimea to the bridge over the Kerch strait. Construction of the road by Russia’s occupation authorities began in 2017.
A series of explosions were heard in the area from about 04:30 (01:30 GMT) on Wednesday.
Officials did not explain the cause of the fire near the city of Staryi Krim. But unconfirmed reports on social media spoke of three Ukrainian strikes.
Russia’s appointee boss in Crimea, Sergei Aksyonov, said the cause of the fire at the military range was being investigated, but that no one was hurt.