Five hours of explosions: 10 hectares of forest in Kyiv Oblast burn down after Russian shelling

Ten hectares of forest in Kyiv Oblast have burned down as a result of Russian shelling. The fire broke out after the latest attack, in which Russian rockets hit a site where the Russian invaders had held positions during the occupation in the spring of 2022, triggering a mass detonation of ammunition.

Source: Kyiv Oblast police on Facebook; Alina Podreiko, communications officer for the Bucha police department, in a comment to Ukrainian Pravda

Quote from the police: "10 hectares of forest have been destroyed by a huge conflagration that broke out after the latest enemy attacks on Kyiv Oblast. The fire above the aggressors’ trenches in Zdvyzhivka spread exponentially." 

Details: Podreiko told Ukrainska Pravda that the fire broke out on 16 June. At the time, it was reported to have been caused by the launch of Russian Kalibr missiles from the Black Sea and the work of the air defence in Kyiv Oblast. 

Quote from Podreiko: "It was the afternoon of 16 June. As a result of Russian shelling, a forest near Zdvyzhivka caught fire. There had been Russian positions there during the occupation, and fierce fighting continued there. There was also an enemy ammunition depot there. 

Of course, mine clearance work was done after liberation, but due to the fact that there was an ammunition depot and a lot of the ammunition was deep underground, the mass detonation began. The explosions continued intensively from about 15:00-15:30 until around 20:00. There were short intervals between them." 

Details: Podreiko explained that the State Emergency Service, the police, and forestry management representatives all attended the scene, but the explosions were so intense that it was impossible to put the fire out.

Therefore, they decided to dig trenches to stop the fire from spreading. In the evening, when the explosions had subsided somewhat, armoured vehicles and a tractor were brought in and trenches were dug, and this halted the progress of the fire. 

The part of the forest where the explosions occurred, however, burned down. 

The forestry departments are currently calculating the losses. 

The police are urging local people not to go to forests, as it can be life-threatening.

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