Explosions rock Russian-occupied Mariupol near airport
Explosions shook Mariupol on Friday, with plumes of smoke rising over the city. Petro Andriuszczenko, an advisor to the Ukrainian city's mayor, reported the incident. According to preliminary yet unconfirmed information, the explosion occurred in the airport area.
9:52 AM EDT, July 12, 2024
On Friday, July 12, powerful explosions occurred in Russian-occupied Mariupol, most likely near the airport. Petro Andriushchenko reported this on social media, posting a photo and a video showing plumes of thick smoke rising between residential blocks.
Plume of smoke and explosions near the airport
"Mariupol. Loud! We are clarifying the details," Andriushchenko wrote in a post on Telegram.
"Recently, Russian Federation Deputy Prime Minister Marat Khusnulin and the leader of the so-called 'DNR,' Denys Pushilin, were there," the city council said shortly after in a statement.
The Russian side has not yet officially responded. The occupiers only said that their air defence had operated. "Occupational sources claim that 5 HIMARS missiles were intercepted. But judging by the smoke, the reality is quite different," commented Mariupol authorities.
In June, explosions were also noted in Mariupol, and the occupiers claimed they were ballistic flights and air defense operations.
Source: Telegram, Pravda
