Russia blames Ukrainian airstrikes for gas depot explosion
Russia blames Ukrainian airstrikes for gas depot explosion: On Friday, a Russian official blamed the Ukrainian airstrike on an oil depot in the city of Belgorod. If confirmed, it would be the first such attack since Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24.
Vyacheslav Gladkov, the governor of the Belgorod region, which is close to the Ukrainian border, said the warehouse fire was the result of an “air strike by two helicopters of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.”
No one was killed or injured, he added in a statement on the official Telegram channel.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmitry Kuleba declined to comment on Ukraine’s involvement in the incident.
Video shows helicopters attacking fuel depot inside Russia
“I can neither confirm nor deny the allegations of Ukrainian involvement simply because I don’t have all the military information,” Quleiba responded to reporters’ questions.
Ukraine’s Defense Ministry did not respond to NBC News’ request for comment.
NBC News was unable to independently verify the Ukrainian military’s claim that it was responsible. Footage verified by NBC News showed a fire and black smoke billowing from the Belgorod oil and gas terminal.
Claims that Russia was the first to blame Ukrainian forces for airstrikes on Russian soil come after Western powers warned Moscow of a possible “false flag” attack to justify sparking or escalating the conflict.
British military analyst Joseph Dempsey analyzed video of the alleged attack and concluded that it involved a Hind variant of the Russian-made Mil Mi-24 attack helicopter.
Dempsey, a researcher at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, a London-based think tank, added that it was “not clear” whether the helicopter was operated by Ukrainian or Russian forces.
He added that apparently the ammunition used, especially unguided rockets, “is mainly from the Soviet Union and continues to be used by Russia and Ukraine”.
Russia, on the other hand, has expressed support for ongoing peace talks with Ukraine, which Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said during a visit to India they “inevitably” must continue.
