KYIV: At least three powerful explosions were heard in the center of the Ukrainian capital Kyiv Tuesday morning, AFP journalists said, although the cause was not immediately known.
An AFP journalist also saw a column of smoke rising in the distance, but was unable to get there due to a night curfew which is in effect until 0500 GMT.
Explosions are sometimes caused by air defense weaponry.
There were no immediate statements from official sources.
Fighting has intensified in recent days around Kyiv, which is almost completely surrounded by Russian forces that invaded Ukraine on February 24.
More than half of Kyiv’s three million inhabitants have fled the city since the start of the Russian offensive.
Several deaths and injuries were reported on Monday after air strikes on different parts of the capital.
Fierce fighting has been going on for several days between Russian and Ukrainian forces on the northwest outskirts of Kyiv.
Loud explosions heard in center of Ukraine capital Kyiv
https://arab.news/4gaky
Loud explosions heard in center of Ukraine capital Kyiv
- Explosions are sometimes caused by air defense weaponry
- There were no immediate statements from official sources
Azerbaijan says it foiled plan to attack pipeline
- The Azerbaijani statement came just a day after Baku vowed to retaliate for what it said was an incursion of four Iranian drones into its Nakhchivan exclave, which injured four people and damaged airport infrastructure
BAKU: Azerbaijan said it had prevented several acts of “terrorist” sabotage planned by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, including a plot to attack a major oil pipeline running through the South Caucasus to Turkiye.
The targets included the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline, the Israeli Embassy in Azerbaijan, an Ashkenazi synagogue, and a leader of an ancient Jewish community in Azerbaijan called the Mountain Jews, according to a State Security Service statement cited by the Azertag state news agency.
The BTC pipeline travels via Georgia and Turkiye and sends oil to Europe, and also accounts for roughly a third of Israeli oil imports. Any damage to its infrastructure could drive global energy prices even higher as the war in the Middle East enters its second week.
The Azerbaijani statement came just a day after Baku vowed to retaliate for what it said was an incursion of four Iranian drones into its Nakhchivan exclave, which injured four people and damaged airport infrastructure. Iran flatly denied it sent the drones into Azerbaijan.
