Ukraine fire sets off blasts at ammo site

KALYNIVKA, Ukraine — A fire at an ammunition depot in central Ukraine set off a series of explosions and prompted an evacuation of thousands of people, officials said Wednesday. The prime minister suggested that it could be the result of sabotage by Ukraine’s enemies.

Authorities evacuated 30,000 people from the town of Kalynivka, 120 miles southwest of the capital, Kiev, and turned off the electricity and gas supply after the depot at a military base there caught fire late Tuesday.

The explosions late Tuesday created fireballs that lit up the night sky. Smoke was seen billowing Wednesday morning. Four residential buildings were fire-damaged, but no casualties have been reported.

Media outlets reported that about 188,000 tons of munitions were kept at the depot, including rockets for the Grad multiple grenade launchers.

Andriy Ageyev, spokesman for the Ukrainian Defense Ministry, told the 112 television station that munitions at the military base in Kalynivka were still detonating Wednesday morning. But Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman, who arrived to the area early Wednesday, said on television that the situation is under control.

Olena Gitlyanska, spokesman for the Ukrainian Security Service, told the Unian news outlet that her agency is treating the fire as sabotage. She didn’t provide further details.