Ukrainian firefighters were tackling a large blaze in Kyiv after a depot caught fire following Russian shelling on Thursday, local residents said.
The depot was just one of several buildings that were burning and destroyed after the Russian attack. Video from the site showed the depot engulfed in smoke and flames as firefighters attempted to put out the blaze.
The Ukrainian Emergency Ministry said in a statement that the fire broke in a compound comprising 10,000 square meters.
There were no immediate injuries, the statement added.
One Kyiv resident spoke of the devastation he saw. “I looked at my watch after I heard the explosion. Then smoke erupted and the fire was getting stronger and stronger,” said Viktor Kushniruk.
“This building is heavily damaged and I hope there were no people inside. It’s my biggest wish,” he added.
A week ago, Russia launched a wide-ranging attack on Ukraine, hitting cities and bases with airstrikes or shelling.
Moscow’s ground advance on Ukraine’s capital in the north has apparently stalled, with a huge armored column outside Kyiv at a standstill. And stiffer than expected resistance from the outmanned, outgunned Ukrainians has staved off the swift victory that Russia may have expected.
But the Russians have brought their superior firepower to bear in the past few days, launching missile and artillery attacks on civilian areas and making significant gains on the ground in the south as part of an effort to sever the country’s connection to the Black and Azov Seas.
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