Strike at Crimea airbase shows Ukraine "serious" about not letting go of region, military expert says

Former commander of the UK's Joint Forces Command, General Sir Richard Barrons, has been speaking to Sky News after a Ukrainian official said its troops had carried out a strike at a military airbase in Crimea.

He told Sky's Mark Austin that the strike showed Ukraine was "serious" about not letting go of Crimea and had "some capability to reach into the Russian rear" in the depths of Crimea, Sky News reports.

However, he added: "It shouldn't mean that we might think Ukraine can actually take Crimea now. That is clearly beyond its capability."

Asked about claims made by Russia that the explosions at the military airbase were caused by munitions blowing up, the former commander said it was "not impossible" but "nor was it particularly credible".

"A much more plausible explanation was it was a Ukrainian military strike," he added.