A Russian aircraft exploded on the runway at Belpek airfield in Crimea sending huge plumes of black smoke in the skies of the annexed peninsula.

The aircraft “skidded off the runway” at the Russian airfield caught fire then exploded near to the city of Sevastopol and several explosions were heard spelling “more bad news for Putin.”

The governor said, “Extraordinary situation at the Belbek airfield.

“According to rescuers, the plane skidded off the runway during landing and caught fire. The fire brigade is currently on the scene. Please keep calm”

Read more on Russia-Ukraine war:

Ukrainian forces enter the town of Lyman and Russia will have to appeal if they are ‘concerned’ with wanting their 5,500 troops back

Putin ready to hold talks with Ukraine to negotiate the end of the war, but insists he will not return the annexed regions

Ukrainian forces have ‘liberated five areas’ in the Donetsk region which could now ‘threaten the territorial integrity of Russia’

If the West does not stop support for Ukraine the world could be ‘days or weeks away’ from a ‘nuclear apocalypse’

Christo Grozev, a reporter for Bellingcat wrote on Twitter, “More bad news for Putin today. Something burning at Belbek military airport in Sevastopol.

“Local governor says it’s a military plane that overshot the runway and crashed.”

Oliver Carroll, a reporter for The Economist wrote, “The claim by Russian-appointed Governor of Sevastopol is that a plane overshot the runway.

“If it did, it seems then have run into an arms dump.”

⚡️Explosions reported at Russian airbase in occupied Crimea.

According to the Russian-appointed head of occupied Sevastopol, "an emergency situation occurred at the Belbek airfield." The Belbek military airfield is located near occupied Sevastopol.

Video: ChP Sevastopol pic.twitter.com/HE4GWlDdt2

— The Kyiv Independent (@KyivIndependent) October 1, 2022

On Saturday Putin suffered a crushing blow after more than 5,000 Russian troops fled after being totally “surrounded” by Ukrainian forces in the strategic town of Lyman.

Ukrainian forces had “liberated” five areas in the Donetsk region and applied “stabilisation measures.”

The Eastern Group Forces group have retaken the settlements of Yampil, Novoselivka, Shandryholove, Drobysheve, Stavky in eastern Ukraine which will be a major blow for Vladimir Putin which could now see the war escalate.

The spokesman of the Eastern Group Forces, Serhiy Cherevaty said on Saturday morning, Ukrainian forces have successfully “surrounded the Russian grouping in the area of Lyman,” Donetsk region, five settlements near the city have now been “liberated.”

Cherevaty said, “The Russian grouping in the Lyman area is surrounded.

“The settlements of Yampil, Novoselivka, Shandryholove, Drobysheve, Stavky have been liberated, stabilization measures are continuing there.”

The spokesman then went on to say that the exact number of Russians who are completely “surrounded” in the Lyman area will become known later after analysis, but the data indicated “somewhere around 5,000-5,500 troops.”

He added, “There, indeed, our data showed that the Russian group numbered in the region of 5,000-5,500. But active hostilities erased their combat strength, as well as some groups that tried to break through.”

The Russian Defence Ministry announced at around 2:20pm on Saturday, UK time, that all 5,500 troops have now fled the city of Lyman in eastern Ukraine “in connection with the creation of a threat of encirclement.”

The Ministry said, “In connection with the creation of a threat of encirclement, allied troops were withdrawn from the settlement of Krasny Liman to more advantageous lines,” this will be seen as another major loss to Putin.