At least one person has been killed in a car bombing in the Russian city of Sevastopol in Crimea, local officials have confirmed.
The powerful blast, which occurred in the western part of the city, was reported by several Russian media outlets on Wednesday morning. The Shot Telegram channel reported that the victim, a serviceman, was driving alone past a local supermarket, adding that he had had leg blown off and was promptly treated by paramedics at the scene, but they were unable to save him.
Later, Sevastopol Governor Mikhail Razvozhaev confirmed the incident, saying that the blast and a fire were reported at around 10am local time, adding that the victim was in the military. He noted that the investigation is ongoing, stressing that “obviously sabotage cannot be ruled out.”
While Razvozhaev provided no further details on the victim, local media claimed that he was a serviceman in his forties. According to Baza, he was a 47-year-old captain 1st rank, equivalent to a colonel in the army, in Russia’s Black Sea Fleet.
Videos circulating on social media show the remains of a vehicle which has been completely torn apart by an explosion, with a huge hole in the bottom on the driver’s side. Other clips show an ambulance and a group of paramedics working at the scene.
Sevastopol, home to the main naval base of the Russian Black Sea fleet, has repeatedly been attacked by Ukraine with drones and missiles. One of the most notorious strikes took place in June, when an ATACMS missile exploded over a local beach, killing four civilians, including two children, and injuring more than 150 others.
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