Kyiv says 9 Russian planes destroyed in blast on the Crimean Peninsula

The Ukrainian air force says that nine Russian warplanes were destroyed in massive explosions at an air base on the Crimean Peninsula, without officially claiming responsibility for the attack.

Powerful explosions rocked the Saki air base on the Black Sea on Tuesday, and sent a tower of smoke clouds over the landscape.

Russia has denied any aircraft were damaged or that any attack took place, claiming munitions at the base caught fire and exploded.

While Ukrainian officials have stopped short of publicly claiming responsibility for the explosions, they have ridiculed Russia's explanation.