Oil storage base erupts in flames outside of Kyiv

An explosion at a gasoline storage base outside of Kyiv the night of June 8 set ablaze fuel reservoirs that fed a raging fire that continued to burn into this morning. 14 of the base’s 17 reservoirs were burned out, while three continued to burn. Firefighters prevented the fire from spreading to another gasoline storage base, as well as a nearby military base and firearms cache. As a result of the explosion and fire, five people were killed, three of which were firefighters, and at least 17 were injured at the base located 37 kilometers southwest of Kyiv, according to news reports.

Zenon Zawada: The main question from a geopolitical perspective is whether the explosion was a sabotage executed by Russian agents. Dozens of similar sabotage attempts have been attempted by Russian forces throughout Ukraine, most of which were undermined by Ukrainian law enforcement authorities. If the explosion was the fault of technical failure, it merely confirms the well-known fact that Ukraine’s infrastructure is deteriorated and in need of repair.