Russian shelling has caused a huge fire at the Azot chemical plant in the Ukrainian city of Sevierodonetsk, reports the BBC.
Serhiy Hajdaj, governor of the Luhansk region where Sievjerodonetsk is located, says on Ukrainian television that the fire started on Saturday after an oil leak.
About 800 people are said to have sought refuge in the factory’s shelter. Described as one of Europe’s largest chemical plants, Azot has been under heavy fire from Russian forces.
The fighting in the important city of Sevierodonetsk, described by the Ukrainian president as crucial to the entire fate of Donbass, is still ongoing.