Ukraine, Russia trade claims after blast rocks Crimean town
Associated PressKYIV, Ukraine — Russian and Ukrainian officials gave conflicting accounts Tuesday of what appeared to be a brazen attack on Russian cruise missiles transported by train in the occupied Ukrainian Crimean Peninsula. Speaking on Ukrainian TV, Humeniuk pointed out Dzhankoi’s importance as a railway junction and said that “right now, the way ahead is clear — they need to make their way out by rail.” A vague statement by Ukraine’s military intelligence agency on Monday said multiple missiles carried by rail and destined for submarine launch had been destroyed, without saying outright that Ukraine was responsible or what weapon had been used. Sergei Aksenov, the Kremlin-appointed head of Crimea, said the attack left one civilian wounded, but caused “no serious damage.” Aksenov’s adviser, Oleg Kryuchkov, rejected Ukraine’s claims and said Ukrainian drones had targeted residential areas rather than the railway. — Civilians were killed and wounded after Russia pounded an eastern Ukrainian town with missiles, damaging more than a dozen buildings, Ukraine’s national broadcaster Suspilne reported. Ukraine’s ground forces chief said Bakhmut’s Ukrainian defenders continue to thwart Russian attempts to push on to the city center.