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Mass fire breaks out in Russia's Kursk Oblast, authorities say

by Nate Ostiller July 2, 2024 3:03 PM 1 min read

Plumes of smoke from a fire in Russia's Kursk Oblast on July 2, 2024. (Acting Governor Alexei Smirnov/Telegram)

This audio is created with AI assistance

A large fire broke out in Russia's Kursk Oblast on July 2, said acting Governor Alexei Smirnov.

The governor claimed that the fire has been contained, and that there are at least 60 first responders at the scene fighting the blaze. Smirnov said that the cause of the fire was still being determined, and claimed that there were no casualties reported.

Some Telegram channels made unconfirmed reports that the fire had broken out near a Russian military base that houses large numbers of aviation equipment.

The claims could not be independently verified.

WTF is wrong with Russia?

Telegram channels shared videos that showed a large plume of smoke rising from an area obscured by buildings and trees, so it was not possible to determine what exactly was on fire from the footage.

Kursk Oblast lies on the border with Ukraine's Sumy Oblast. As with other Russian regions bordering Ukraine, it has been reportedly struck numerous times by drones or other long-range weapons in recent months.

Author: Nate Ostiller

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