Huge smoke cloud rises after massive explosion at factory in Moscow
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At least 45 people have been injured in a blast at a night-vision goggle factory in Moscow, The Moscow Times reports.
The explosion rocked the town of Sergiev Posad, 50 km (30 miles) northeast of Moscow on Wednesday, with emergency services reporting that the blast appeared to have taken place in a warehouse containing pyrotechnic equipment.
Of these, 23 people were hospitalised, with six in intensive care, the Sergiev Posad mayor’s office said. Unverified footage on social media showed a huge column of smoke, and high-rise buildings with windows blown out.
The Zagorsk Optical and Mechanical Plant produces optical equipment for industrial and healthcare applications as well as for the Russian security forces.
However, TASS cited emergency services as saying they did not believe the blast had been caused by a Ukrainian drone attack – many of which have taken place in Moscow and the surrounding area in recent weeks and months.
The news comes as Russia claimed it shot down two Ukrainian drones headed for Moscow, one near a major airport to the south of the city and one to the west of the capital.
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Forty-five injured in blast at optics factory northeast of Moscow
A blast rocked an optics and optical electronics factory in the town of Sergiev Posad, 50 km (30 miles) northeast of Moscow, on Wednesday, injuring at least 45 people, local authorities said.
Emergency services said the blast appeared to have occurred in a warehouse containing pyrotechnic equipment, the state news agency TASS reported. The popular online news channel Mash said it had been rented by a pyrotechnics firm.
Twenty-three people were admitted to hospital, including six in intensive care, the Sergiev Posad mayor’s office said.
Unverified footage on social media showed a huge column of smoke, and high-rise buildings with windows blown out.
The Zagorsk Optical and Mechanical Plant produces optical equipment for industrial and healthcare applications as well as for the Russian security forces.
However, TASS cited emergency services as saying they did not believe the blast had been caused by a Ukrainian drone attack – many of which have taken place in Moscow and the surrounding area in recent weeks and months.
Smoke rises from the Zagorsk Optical and Mechanical Plant in the city of Sergiev Posad, Moscow Region
(AP)
Eleanor Noyce9 August 2023 11:56
1691642064
Russian drones destroy fuel depot in Ukraine, says governor
Russian drones destroyed a fuel depot in Ukraine’s western Rivne region tdaoy, governor Vitaly Koval wrote on the Telegram messaging app.
There were no casualties from the attack, he said.
Arpan Rai10 August 2023 05:34
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Ukrainian troops launch surprise raid across Dnipro River, break through some of Russia’s defences
Ukrainian forces broke through Russia’s defensive lines after launching a surprise raid across the Dnipro River.
The river divides liberated Ukrainian territory on one bank and Russian-occupied land on the other, and for months it has served as part of the front line in southern Ukraine.
Russian military bloggers said that up to seven boats, each carrying up to six troops, arrived on the Russian-occupied bank, apparently under the cover of darkness, and advanced 800m.
Blogger Trinadtsatyi, posting on the Telegram messaging app to more than 150,000 followers, said a number of Russian soldiers were allegedly killed or taken captive during the raid. Images circulating on social media appeared to show captured soldiers.
Arpan Rai10 August 2023 04:50
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Russia says 11 drones downed near Sevastopol, blames Ukraine
Russian forces downed 11 Ukrainian drones near Sevastopol, the city in Crimea which serves as Russia’s Black Sea navy base, the Russian defence ministry claimed today.
Two drones were hit by air defences and nine more by electronic countermeasures, it said, reported RIA news agency.
Arpan Rai10 August 2023 04:21
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Ukraine to get more Patriot air defence systems from Germany, says Zelensky
Ukraine will be supplied additional Patriot air defence missile systems under a deal with Germany, president Volodymyr Zelensky said last night.
“Today we have good news from Germany – exactly what we agreed upon with Olaf Scholz. We have additional Patriot launching stations. Thank you very much, Olaf, for this – it is necessary to protect our people from Russian terror,” Mr Zelensky said.
Earlier in the day, Germany announced its decision to ship two more Patriot launchers to Ukraine.
“This will definitely bring us closer to creating a full-fledged air shield for Ukraine. This will help people, cities, villages,” the war-time president said.
Raytheon’s Patriot, among the West’s top ground-based air defence systems, are built to intercept incoming missiles.
They are, however, in short supply across Nato since many allies scaled down the number of air defence units after the Cold War.
Arpan Rai10 August 2023 04:07
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Poland doubles troops at Belarus border amid illegal migration fears
The Polish government announced Wednesday that it is planning to deploy an additional 2,000 troops to its border with Belarus, twice the number the Border Guard agency had requested, as fears of illegal migration rise:
Jane Dalton10 August 2023 04:00
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Blaze reported near major Russian airport – RIA
A blaze near one of Russia’s major airports was reported in the early hours today after an auto repair shop caught fire in Domodedovo, reported RIA news agency.
The size of the fire is 1,000 square metres, the report added.
It gave the address of the repair shop, which is 10 kilometres away from the Domodedovo airport.
Videos of the fire posted online show thick black smoke and a flame, seen from hundreds of metres away.
Two explosions were heard before the fire, according to posts on Russian social media.
Arpan Rai10 August 2023 03:46
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Russia shot down two military drones heading towards Moscow – mayor
At least two military drones headed towards Moscow have been downed in the early hours today by Russia’s air defence systems, Moscow mayor Sergei Sobyanin said.
The two combat drones were flying towards the city, the mayor said.
“At about four o’clock in the morning, air defense shot down two strike UAVs flying towards the city. One in the Kaluga region, the other in the Central Ring Road,” the mayor wrote on his Telegram channel.
This is the second such attack in 24 hours as the defence ministry had said a similar interception was made yesterday.
Arpan Rai10 August 2023 03:39
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Germany arrests military officer suspected of spying for Russia
German prosecutors have arrested an officer of the military procurement agency on suspicion of passing secret information to Russian intelligence, the federal prosecutor’s office said.
The German national, whom the prosecutor’s office identified only as Thomas H, repeatedly approached Russia’s consulate in Bonn and embassy in Berlin from May on his own initiative and offered his cooperation, the office said.
“The Federal Prosecutor has arrested a German officer on suspicion of working for a foreign secret service,” wrote Justice Minister Marco Buschmann on social media. “Vigilance is the order of the day.”
Germany, one of the largest providers of military hardware to Ukraine, is a major target of Russian spying operations, which have grown in scale since Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, authorities have warned.
On one occasion, the man handed over information obtained during the course of his work with the intention that it be passed to a Russian intelligence service, the federal prosecutor’s office said.
Jane Dalton10 August 2023 03:00
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US and Canada issue new sanctions on Belarus
The United States and Canada have issued new sanctions against Belarus, designating several entities and individuals over alleged human-rights abuses and support for Russia amid the war in Ukraine.
The US Treasury Department said it designated eight individuals and five entities to a sanctions list for allegedly funding the Belarusian government.
“This action targets several entities involved in the Belarusian regime’s continued civil society repression, complicity in the Russian Federation’s unjustified war in Ukraine, and enrichment of repressive Belarusian regime leader Alexander Lukashenko,” the Treasury Department said.
Canada imposed sanctions against nine individuals and seven entities, the list including government officials, judges, the head of Belarusian state television, the country’s defence ministry, and military manufacturing and technology firms, the Canadian government said.
Jane Dalton10 August 2023 01:00
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/ukraine-russia-war-putin-latest-news-today-b2390641.html
