The Russian Defense Ministry has admitted a major blast at a Russian ammunition depot in occupied Crimea on Tuesday was caused by an act of sabotage. On Tuesday night, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky thanked those “who oppose the occupiers.” He also urged Ukrainians to stay away from Russian military bases and ammunition stores.

Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin has accused the United States of trying to drag out the war in Ukraine and to provoke China over Taiwan. He spoke at the Moscow Conference on International Security.

President Vladimir Putin: “The situation in Ukraine shows that the United States is trying to drag out this conflict, and they act in exactly the same way, fueling the potential for conflict, in Asia, Africa and Latin America. … We also see that the collective West is seeking to extend its bloc system to the Asia-Pacific region, similarly to NATO in Europe. For this purpose, bellicose military-political alliances are being formed, such as AUKUS and others.”