Russian Airbase in Crimea Attacked

A ballistic missile is often supersonic: it arrives before the sound. And so the sound is drowned out by the noise of the explosion.
I suppose that is more than reasonable. Would you be able to see an incoming BM warhead? Two huge simultaneous explosions took place and on many videos you can see the airbase was already burning so with so many eyes watching I wonder if you can see an incoming BM warheads.

The lack of info by Ukraine is tiresome. Russians are going to pick up the pieces and figure out what they got hit with like with the HARM missile fragments.
 
A ballistic missile is often supersonic: it arrives before the sound. And so the sound is drowned out by the noise of the explosion.
The way the windows as far away as 2 kilometers have been shattered, points to a huge explosion which could be from a arms depot going off due to missile strike or sabotage.
 
The way the windows as far away as 2 kilometers have been shattered, points to a huge explosion which could be from a arms depot going off due to missile strike or sabotage.
I think it was rather sabotage because the two simultaneous explosions, which are often described as missile strikes, took place when there was already a lot of smoke.
 
Crimea airfield blast was work of Ukrainian special forces, official says
By Isabelle Khurshudyan, Adela Suliman and Liz Sly

KYIV — A Ukrainian government official told The Washington Post on Wednesday that an attack on a Russian air base in occupied Crimea was the work of Ukrainian special forces.

The official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly on the matter, did not disclose details of how the Tuesday attack was carried out. However, the attack marks a dramatic escalation in the nearly six-month-old war, demonstrating an ability by Ukrainian forces to strike farther behind Russian lines than previously believed.

At least three explosions rocked the Safy air base, in a coastal area presumed by the Russians to be so safe that videos showed startled beachgoers at a nearby resort scrambling for cover. The Crimean Peninsula was annexed by Moscow in 2014 and is a popular vacation destination for Russians.

The Ukrainian air force said in a statement that nine Russian military planes were destroyed at the base, which the authorities have said was used by Russia to launch missile strikes against Ukrainian-controlled territory.

Officially, Kyiv has refused to confirm or deny that Ukrainians were involved in the attack. But on Tuesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky focused his nightly address on Crimea, promising to win back the territory. “Crimea is Ukrainian, and we will never give it up,” he said, without mentioning the air base or the attack.

Ukraine’s special operations forces are known to be engaged in a campaign to infiltrate Russian-held territory and coordinate with sympathetic locals on the ground to carry out attacks. Guerrilla activity has been especially prevalent in the occupied southern Kherson region, just north of Crimea.

In June, a Russian-installed official in Kherson was killed in a mysterious bomb blast on his way to work. Posters around the city made by Ukrainian resistance groups warned those working with the Russians that partisans would come for them too, according to images posted on social media. One flyer read: “If a HIMARS can’t reach, a partisan will help.”

A U.S. official, speaking on the condition of anonymity because of the issue’s sensitivity, told The Post on Tuesday only that a U.S. weapon was not used Tuesday’s attack in Crimea.

The American High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) recently given to Ukraine have enabled it to strike deep behind Russian lines, but the systems known to have been supplied to Ukraine have a maximum range of 50 miles. The Crimean air base is at least 140 miles from the nearest front line.

Russia has said Tuesday’s blast was caused by an ammunition explosion, and officials reported that at least one person was killed and 13 were injured, including two children.

The Washington Post could not independently verify the claims from either side.
 
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Crimea airfield blast was work of Ukrainian special forces, official says
By Isabelle Khurshudyan, Adela Suliman and Liz Sly

KYIV — A Ukrainian government official told The Washington Post on Wednesday that an attack on a Russian air base in occupied Crimea was the work of Ukrainian special forces.

The official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly on the matter, did not disclose details of how the Tuesday attack was carried out. However, the attack marks a dramatic escalation in the nearly six-month-old war, demonstrating an ability by Ukrainian forces to strike farther behind Russian lines than previously believed.

At least three explosions rocked the Safy air base, in a coastal area presumed by the Russians to be so safe that videos showed startled beachgoers at a nearby resort scrambling for cover. The Crimean Peninsula was annexed by Moscow in 2014 and is a popular vacation destination for Russians.

The Ukrainian air force said in a statement that nine Russian military planes were destroyed at the base, which the authorities have said was used by Russia to launch missile strikes against Ukrainian-controlled territory.

Officially, Kyiv has refused to confirm or deny that Ukrainians were involved in the attack. But on Tuesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky focused his nightly address on Crimea, promising to win back the territory. “Crimea is Ukrainian, and we will never give it up,” he said, without mentioning the air base or the attack.

Ukraine’s special operations forces are known to be engaged in a campaign to infiltrate Russian-held territory and coordinate with sympathetic locals on the ground to carry out attacks. Guerrilla activity has been especially prevalent in the occupied southern Kherson region, just north of Crimea.

In June, a Russian-installed official in Kherson was killed in a mysterious bomb blast on his way to work. Posters around the city made by Ukrainian resistance groups warned those working with the Russians that partisans would come for them too, according to images posted on social media. One flyer read: “If a HIMARS can’t reach, a partisan will help.”

A U.S. official, speaking on the condition of anonymity because of the issue’s sensitivity, told The Post on Tuesday only that a U.S. weapon was not used Tuesday’s attack in Crimea.

The American High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) recently given to Ukraine have enabled it to strike deep behind Russian lines, but the systems known to have been supplied to Ukraine have a maximum range of 50 miles. The Crimean air base is at least 140 miles from the nearest front line.

Russia has said Tuesday’s blast was caused by an ammunition explosion, and officials reported that at least one person was killed and 13 were injured, including two children.

The Washington Post could not independently verify the claims from either side.
I told you about the possibility of a sabotage.
 
Don’t tell anyone . US was offering Thaad and we still bought s-400.
Thaad is for anti-ballistic missiles.
Plus a possible sale of F35s too.

India bureaucrats,planers,ministers are like we indians, always weigh price over utility/quality/results. We bought that stupid system over thaad because it is damn cheep, we cleverly undermine the effectiveness of THAAD over s400.
Thaad won't be able to stop this either.
 
I love THAAD but it's a very expensive one-trick pony system unlike the PAC3 which can take down not only incoming BM warheads but aircraft and cruise missiles. Now THAAD can cover a huge area like an urban center size area where as PAC3 an area the size of an airbase.

If I'm a Defense Minister with a tight defense budget I'd buy the PAC3 and protect military installations which will keep me in the fight.
 
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But ThAAD is far superior to s-400 in ABM which we will need against China.
THAAD comes with american oversight and american staff. No point in buying it. The barak 8 and s-400 can handle most of the stuff. You are better off buying f-35's instead rather than paying for THAAD's american AD has questionable capabilities except for the Aegis and Aegis ashore.