Another salvo -- literally this time -- in the ever-tense standoff between Ukraine and Russia. In Sevastopol on July 27, there was gunpowder in the air with the celebration of the Day of the Russian Black Sea Fleet. (Russia still has a sizable military presence in Crimea.)
Three weeks ago, Ukraine warned Russia that flying over populated areas of Crimea and using ammunition, live or otherwise, outside military training camps was forbidden. Although as you can see from the photo, the Russians didn't comply. In fact, a correspondent from our Ukrainian Service on the scene said it looked like a firework show and, in all the time he'd seen the celebration over the years, he had never experienced so much shooting.
But, as one of our Russian Service correspondents said, it must have been kind of humiliating for Russia to not even be allowed to fire a gun in a show of military might.
-- Luke Allnutt