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Unknown saboteurs blow up military base in eastern Ukraine : Military

Thursday, 23 March 2017 9:56 AM [ Last Update: Thursday, 23 March 2017 9:56 AM ]

A Ukrainian serviceman inspects the 122 mm MLRS BM-21 Grad during Ukrainian army military exercises at a shooting range close to Devichiki in the Kiev region on October 28, 2016. (Photo by AFP)

A warehouse storing tank ammunition at a military base in eastern Ukraine has been blown up by unknown saboteurs.

According to the Ukrainian military, nobody was hurt in the incident which occurred early on Thursday.

The base, which contained about 138,000 tons of ammunition, is located in the city of Balakleya about 100 km (60 miles) from the frontline of Ukraine’s war against pro-Russia forces.

Rescue teams were evacuating nearby villages in the eastern Kharkiv region, the military said.

“According to preliminary data ... as a result of sabotage, last night at 2:46 AM (0046 GMT), fire and explosions caused the detonation of ammunition at several sites storing rockets and artillery weapons,” Ukraine’s chief military prosecutor Anatoly Matios wrote on Facebook.

Military spokesman Oleksander Motuzyanyk said security around other bases was being beefed up. Ukrainian Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman was due to fly to the area later on Thursday.

Saboteurs previously tried to destroy the same base using drones in 2015, another military spokesman, Yuzef Venskovich, told the 112 TV channel.

More than 10,000 people have been killed in the conflict between Ukraine and pro-Russia forces since 2014.

Despite the original Minsk agreement, which was reached in September 2014, as well as another deal also struck in the Belarusian capital in February 2015, the Ukrainian government and the pro-Russians have continued to trade fire along front lines.

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