Ukrainians briefly told to shelter after ammonia plant 'leak'

KYIV • Residents of the northern Ukrainian town of Novoselytsya were told yesterday to temporarily take shelter after an ammonia leak at a nearby chemical factory, amid intense fighting with Russian forces in the area.

Sumy regional governor Dmytro Zhyvytsky said there had been an "ammonia leakage" at the Sumykhimprom facility, affecting an area within 2.5km of the plant.

There were no details on the extent and cause of the leak, and residents were told to seek refuge in basements or on lower levels of buildings to avoid exposure.

Ukrainian rescue services announced on Twitter later in the afternoon that the incident was "finished". According to Sumykhimprom's website, the facility produces a range of chemical fertilisers.

Sumy, located about 350km east of Kyiv with a pre-war population of around 250,000, has experienced weeks of heavy fighting.

In recent days, the Russian government has intensified propaganda and disinformation efforts alleging that Ukraine is preparing to use improvised chemical arms and has been developing a clandestine programme involving weapons of mass destruction.

The Russian Ministry of Defence claimed late on Sunday that "nationalists" had "mined" ammonia and chlorine storage facilities at Sumykhimprom "with the aim of mass poisoning of residents of the Sumy region, in case of entry into the city of units of the Russian Armed Forces".

Russia has repeatedly denied helping Syria use chemical weapons in multiple attacks against its own citizens during the country's 11-year-old civil war. Moscow has also denied using chemical weapons against Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, as well as former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE