Vehicle explosion in Donetsk, Ukraine increases fears of Russian invasion

An apparent car bomb exploded in Donetsk, the separatist-controlled east Ukrainian city, on Friday, as reported by RIA Novosti, a Russian state-run media agency. 

As per RIA Novosti’s claims, the vehicle explosion took place in a parking lot outside a government building in the city centre, sparking fears that a Russian invasion could be underway. The agency cited information from the Telegram channel belonging to the People’s Militia Department of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic. 

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The agency reported that the blast could be heard throughout the city. CNN also reported that images and videos showed that emergency services were at the scene, and later confirmed that the vehicle was a Russian-made jeep. 

Speaking to CNN, Anton Gerashchenko, advisor to the Ukrainian Interior Minister said, “We think that this is a staging and a provocation”. 

Earlier on Friday, separatist leader Denis Pushilin, ordered a mass evacuation of women, children, and elderly citizens to Russia, claiming that Ukraine had plans to invade Donetsk and Luhansk, the regions controlled by separatists. 

New York Post reported Pushilin speaking in a video statement, saying, “In recent months, we have been observing a daily increase in the number of military personnel and lethal weapons by Ukraine, including Smerch and Uragan multiple launch rocket systems, NLAW rocket launchers, as well as Javelins and Stingers along the entire line of contact. Today their guns are aimed at civilians, at us and our children. The armed forces of the enemy are in combat formations and are ready for the forceful capture of Donbass”. 

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Ukraine’s Foreign minister Dymtro Kuleba, immediately denied the claims in a tweet. He clarified the air, saying, “We categorically refute Russian disinformation reports on Ukraine’s alleged offensive operations or acts of sabotage in chemical production facilities. Ukraine does not conduct or plan any such actions in the Donbas. We are fully committed to diplomatic conflict resolution only”. 

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Notably, CNN also reported a US State Department spokesperson saying that the vehicle explosion could be a “false flag operation”. The spokesperson added that the explosion or calls for evacuation were merely “further attempts to obscure through lies and disinformation that Russia is the aggressor in this conflict”. 

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Russia has troops placed along Ukraine’s borders, sparking fears of invasion. While the Vladimir Putin-led government has constantly denied the claims, they have asked NATO to block Ukraine’s entry into the organization and reduce their military presence in eastern Europe.