Reiterating its insistence that the region belongs to Ukraine, the Ukrainian military issued a sinister threat against Russian tourists seeking to travel to Crimea this summer, suggesting they might be killed by shelling or air strikes.
Appending a video set to Bananarama’s ‘Cruel Summer’ to its message on Twitter, Ukraine’s Defense Ministry warned Russian citizens could face an ‘unpleasantly hot summer break’ if they decide to visit Ukrainian Crimea, underlying that it would be a big mistake and pointing out alternative tourist destinations this summer Russian tourists can visit, such as Palm Jumeirah Beaches, Antalya Resorts, and Cuban Cabanas.
At one point, the video cuts between scenic shots and explosions erupting at Moscow’s Saki Air Base in Crimea, beachgoers fleeing blasts scrambling to safety, and large plumes of smoke seen in the background, strongly insinuating that Kyiv was behind the attacks.
The Russian officials, however, insisted there was no attack whatsoever at the air base and that the explosions were caused by an accidental detonation of ammunition that has killed at least one person, while Russia’s Travel Industry Association observed that the blasts happened far away from the tourist zone.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky used the opportunity to stress that the war in Ukraine began with Crimea and must end with its liberation, stressing that Crimea is Ukrainian and that they will never give it up.
The Black Sea peninsula is internationally recognized as part of Ukraine, but Russia annexed it after the 2014 referendum the global community sees as illegitimate.
Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev threatened last month that any attack on Crimea by Ukraine would be considered deeply serious by Moscow, warning that in such instance Judgement Day will instantly await.