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.<br /><br />Powerful explosions rocked the Saki air base on the Black Sea on Tuesday, and sent a tower of smoke clouds over the landscape.<br /><br />Russia has denied any aircraft were damaged or that any attack took place, claiming munitions at the base caught fire and exploded.<br /><br />While Ukrainian officials have stopped short of publicly claiming responsibility for the explosions, they have ridiculed Russia's explanation.<br />
