Russia asserts Ukraine blew up ammonium nitrate storage facility near Mazanovka

As the war in Ukraine continues on its 83rd day, the Defence Ministry of the Russian Federation has claimed that Ukraine's Special forces blew up a land mine near Mazanovka, which is in the Donetsk People's Republic. The media report suggests that the land mine was reinforced with an ammonium nitrate overlay of up to one ton and as a result of the explosion a deadly cloud drifted towards Kramatorsk, reaching a height of one kilometre.

The Ministry also stated that the provocations by the Kyiv authorities continue to falsely accuse the Russian armed forces of employing poisonous substances. It further claimed that the Ukrainian special services exploded a landmine prepared in advance, reinforced with a lining up to one-ton ammonium nitrate at 13:35 on a farm located one and a half kilometres north-west of the village of Mazanovka. The Ministry continued by stating that a 1 km high poisonous cloud was generated as a result of the explosion and that it shifted towards Kramatorsk.

The Russian Federation's Ministry of Defense observed that the Security Service of Ukraine carried out a similar provocation in the Kharkiv region's Dolgenkoe on May 11 in order to accuse the Russian army of employing chemical weapons, according to TASS. It stated that the Security Service of Ukraine blew up a fertilizer tank, possibly containing ammonium nitrate. The Ministry claimed that Russia has frequently cautioned the Kyiv authorities against such provocations.

Ukraine claims Russia used phosphorous bombs

Ukraine, on the other hand, claimed that on May 14, the Russian Forces used incendiary or phosphorous bombs against the Mariupol Defenders. Such explosives have a temperature of combustion of roughly 2-2.5 thousand degrees Celsius. Petro Andriushchenko, an assistant to Mariupol Mayor Vadym Boychenko said that the Russian soldiers used an incendiary bomb and that the fire started by the attack was between 2,000 and 2,500 degrees Celsius. He further said that it was nearly impossible to extinguish the fire.

Deal reached on Monday to evacuate wounded Ukrainian forces

In the meanwhile, the Russian Defence Ministry has also stated that a deal was reached on Monday to evacuate wounded Ukrainian forces from the Azovstal steel plant and that a humanitarian corridor has been established, through which injured Ukrainian servicemen are transported to a medical facility in Novoazovsk, Donetsk People's Republic, where they will be provided with all necessary assistance.

Image: AP