Explosions were heard in Crimea: the Belbek and Saky airfields may have been targeted
On the evening of 19 February, a series of explosions was again reported in temporarily occupied Crimea. According to open-source reports, the military airfields “Belbek” and “Saky” may have been targeted.
Local Telegram channels reported the incident.
The Russian side traditionally stated that air defence systems were operating and that the attack had been “repelled.” At the same time, local public pages reported active gunfire, missile launches and the flight of unmanned aerial vehicles in the area of Sevastopol and along the western coast of the peninsula.
According to eyewitnesses, loud explosions were heard near the Belbek military airfield outside Sevastopol. Flashes in the sky, searchlights and tracer fire were observed. Explosions were also reported in the area of the Saky airfield in Novofedorivka.
At around 23:20–23:30, residents of various districts of Sevastopol heard powerful explosions. According to preliminary open-source information, a fighter jet may have taken off from the Belbek Air Base to intercept an aerial target. Eyewitnesses claim that the aircraft launched a missile, but it did not hit the target. After that, the fighter reportedly deployed flares and headed towards Yevpatoria.
At approximately 11:30 p.m., an explosion was also reported over Andriivka near Sevastopol. In addition, local residents observed searchlights operating in the area of the settlement of Soniachne.
Later, the Russian Ministry of Defence stated that several unmanned aerial vehicles had allegedly been shot down over Crimea and the waters of the Black Sea. No official information was provided regarding possible strikes on military facilities. As of the time of publication, there were no reports of damage to civilian infrastructure.
The Belbek Air Base and Saky Air Base airfields play a key role in military logistics and in supporting Russian aviation in Crimea. They are used to base combat aircraft and to support operations in the Black Sea region, and therefore regularly appear in reports of attacks. Combat aircraft departures have repeatedly been recorded from these facilities.
The situation around the peninsula remains tense. There is currently no independent confirmation of the consequences of the incident, and the information requires clarification.
Recently, in temporarily occupied Crimea, a strong explosion was heard near the Kacha airfield, and locals reported gunfire.
On the night of 17 February 2026, temporarily occupied Crimea became the target of a large-scale attack by Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles.
