• President Volodymyr Zelensky has declared that the liberation of Crimea is necessary for the end of the Ukrainian conflict.
• The president of Ukraine was speaking after several bombings targeted a nearby Russian airbase, resulting in one fatality.
• While avoiding mentioning the explosions from Tuesday, Mr Zelensky stated that “Crimea is Ukrainian and we will never give it up.

President Volodymyr Zelensky has declared that the liberation of Crimea is necessary for the end of the Ukrainian conflict.

The president of Ukraine was speaking after several bombings targeted a nearby Russian airbase, resulting in one fatality.

While avoiding mentioning the explosions from Tuesday, Mr. Zelensky stated that “Crimea is Ukrainian and we will never give it up.”

According to the Russian defence ministry, munitions exploded at the base. In the meantime, Ukraine denied being behind the explosions.

Separately, according to Ukrainian sources, 13 persons have killed in midnight Russian strikes in the southern Zaporizhzhia area and the centre of Dnipropetrovsk district.

Although Crimea is widely acknowledged to be a part of Ukraine, Russia annexed the Black Sea peninsula in 2014 following a referendum that the international community views as invalid. For many Ukrainians, this marks the beginning of their conflict with Russia.

The Saky military post in the west of Crimea, which is close to seashore resorts popular with Russian visitors, was shaken by a series of explosions on Tuesday.

The Black Sea Fleet of Russia, which has been directing a blockade of the Ukrainian shoreline, is based at the port city of Sevastopol, which is about 50 kilometres (30 miles) north of Novofedorivka and Saky. Russia had launched attacks on targets deep into Ukraine from the airbase.

Beachgoers were seen running as the explosions hit in video posted on social media, and witnesses reported hearing at least 12 bombs. One civilian had died and eight others had been hurt, according to the Crimea’s newly appointed Russian health service.