Thousands evacuated after explosions at Ukrainian ammo depot

KIEV - Around 12,000 people were evacuated after a fire and explosions at a rate of two to three a second hit a Ukrainian Defence Ministry ammunition depot early on Tuesday morning, officials said.

No casualties were reported.

Ukraine's state security service said it was investigating possible sabotage, and the defence ministry's spokesman said the fact that explosions were set off in different parts of the depot pointed to sabotage.

The depot is located in the Chernihiv region, 176 km (109 miles) east of the capital, Kiev. A woman who lived 50 km away told the TV channel 112 she could hear the explosions.

"There are no victims, wounded, injured or killed among military personnel, personnel of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the local population," a Defence Ministry statement said. "As of 7 am (0400 GMT), the intensity of explosions is two to three explosions per second."

The airspace in a 30 km radius was closed and road and rail transport suspended. The emergency services reported gas and electricity supplies to the area have been disrupted.

Hundreds of people and equipment were deployed to the site, a statement by the emergency services said, joined by Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman and the head of Ukraine's armed forces Viktor Muzhenko. The president has called for a report.

Last year, blasts occurred at three major arms storage facilities in central and eastern Ukraine.

Reuters/Xinhua