The 2022 Russian mystery fires are a series of unusual fires and explosions that have occurred since the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine,[1][2] which have not been formally explained.[3] There have also been several notable arson attacks on military recruitment offices in Russia since the beginning of the war,[4] and there has been speculation that some of the fires or explosions have been the result of sabotage efforts by Ukraine.[5]
Overview
A "yellow" (medium) terrorist threat level was introduced[6] in Bryansk, Kursk, and Belgorod Oblasts, as well as some districts of Voronezh Oblast, Krasnodar Krai, and northern Crimea. Starting from the end of March, a series of incidents and explosions were reported in border regions of Bryansk, Kursk, Belgorod, and Voronezh Oblasts. Russian officials reported on mortar shelling, drone attacks, and helicopter gunship attacks allegedly coming "from the Ukrainian side".[ru 1][7][8]
The Ukrainian side refused to confirm or deny involvement in incidents at strategic locations.[9] There were allegations that some of the fires or explosions were the result of Ukrainian sabotage.[10]
In May, a series of incidents on railway lines in Russia impeded the deployment of troops and military equipment to Ukraine; responsibility for these incidents was claimed by the Internet movement "Stop the Trains"[ru 2] (a reference to the Russian anti-war slogan "Stop the War").[ru 3][11]
List of fires
Location | Date | Facility | Deaths | Coordinates |
---|---|---|---|---|
Kstovo | 22 March 2022 | Oil depot[12] | ||
Belgorod | 1 April 2022 | Oil depot[9] | 1 | 50°35′29.8″N 36°40′13.1″E / 50.591611°N 36.670306°E |
Tver | 21 April 2022 | Central Research Institute of the Aerospace Defense Forces[13] | 7 | |
Kineshma | 21 April 2022 | Chemical plant[14] | ||
Korolyov | 22 April 2022 | Industrial zone[9] | ||
Barvikha | 23 April 2022 | Governor's residence in Moscow Region[15] | ||
Bryansk | 25 April 2022 | Fuel depot[16] | ||
Ussuriysk | 25 April 2022 | Military air base[17] | ||
Belgorod | 27 April 2022 | Ammunition depot | ||
Ilyinskoye | 30 April 2022 | GRES-2 power plant[18] | 52°1′26.3″N 75°28′34.5″E / 52.023972°N 75.476250°E | |
Perm | 1 May 2022 | FKP Gunpowder plant[19] | ||
Moscow | 3 May 2022 | Textbook warehouse[20] | ||
Nizhny Novgorod | 4 May 2022 | Industrial zone[21] | ||
Nizhnevartovsk | 4 May 2022 | Military enlistment office[22] | ||
Kursk | 5 May 2022 | Unknown[23] | ||
Perm | 8 May 2022 | Aviation college[19] | ||
Dubovoye, Belgorod Oblast | 11 May 2022 | Unknown[24] | ||
Teysin, Amursky district | 12 May 2022 | Military installation[25] | ||
Berdsk | 17 May 2022 | Chemical plant[26] | ||
Zhukovsky | 21 May 2022 | Fire at the substation in TsAGI (aviation institute)[27] | ||
Moscow | 24 May 2022 | Saint Peter and Paul Church[28][29] | ||
Moscow | 3 June 2022 | Grand Setun Plaza Building, business center with Pension Fund of Russia offices[30] | ||
Komsomolsk-on-Amur | 4 June 2022 | Rosgvardia (National Guard of the Russian Federation) building[31] | ||
Sarov, Nizhny Novgorod | 8 June 2022 | Rosatom (Nuclear) Institute of Digital Technologies[32] | ||
Sergiev Posad | 8 June 2022 | Zagorsk Optical & Mechanical Plant warehouse (optical, thermal & night-vision sighting systems)[33] | ||
Vladivostok | 8 June 2022 | Military enlistment office[34] | ||
Ust-Luga | 10 June 2022 | "Factor" timber terminal[35] owned by oligarch Ramis Deberdeyev |
See also
References
- ^ "Mystery fires at sensitive facilities compound Russia's war challenge". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 6 May 2022.
- ^ Sly, Liz; Post, The Washington (27 April 2022). "Mystery fires, blasts at sensitive facilities in Russia; Ukraine calls it karma". National Post. Retrieved 6 May 2022.
- ^ Carbonaro, Giulia (6 May 2022). "Every mysterious fire to break out in Russia recently—Full list". Newsweek. Retrieved 6 May 2022.
- ^ Times, The Moscow (22 April 2022). "5 Russian Enlistment Offices Hit By Arson Attacks – Reports". The Moscow Times. Retrieved 6 May 2022.
- ^ "Is Ukraine conducting a sabotage campaign inside Russia?". France 24. 8 May 2022. Retrieved 9 May 2022.
- ^ "О порядке установления уровней террористической опасности, предусматривающих принятие дополнительных мер по обеспечению безопасности личности, общества и государства". pravo.gov.ru. Retrieved 9 June 2022.
- ^ Sauer, Pjotr (19 May 2022). "'Now we get hit too': Belgorod, the Russian city on the Ukraine frontline". The Guardian. Retrieved 7 June 2022.
- ^ "Russian provinces bordering Ukraine report series of blasts". Al Jazeera. 27 April 2022. Retrieved 7 June 2022.
- ^ a b c Carbonaro, Giulia (6 May 2022). "Every mysterious fire to break out in Russia recently—Full list". Newsweek. Retrieved 7 June 2022.
- ^ "Is Ukraine conducting a sabotage campaign inside Russia?". France 24. 8 May 2022. Retrieved 7 June 2022.
- ^ Kochkina, Katerina (22 May 2022), "Поджоги военкоматов и железнодорожное сопротивление. Как действует антивоенное подполье в России" [From burning down military recruitment centers to railroad resistance: how the anti-war movement continues to operate in Russia, underground], Current Time TV (in Russian), retrieved 7 June 2022
- ^ "In Photos: Russia On Fire With Mystery Blazes". Radio Free Europe. 6 June 2022. Retrieved 9 June 2022.
- ^ "Seven die in fire at Russia defence institute – reports". the Guardian. 22 April 2022. Retrieved 6 May 2022.
- ^ "Seven die in fire at Russia defence institute – reports". the Guardian. 22 April 2022. Retrieved 6 May 2022.
- ^ "В Барвихе горит дом губернатора Московской области". Главное™. Retrieved 6 May 2022.
- ^ "Large fires break out at Russian oil depots". the Guardian. 25 April 2022. Retrieved 6 May 2022.
- ^ Lyutikov, Oleksiy (25 April 2022). "В Уссурійську спалахнула пожежа на авіабазі, валить дим: в InformNapalm показали відео" (in Ukrainian). Obozrevatel.
- ^ Varga, John (30 April 2022). "Russia fire: Panic as coal-fired power plant goes up in flames - massive smoke clouds". Express.co.uk. Retrieved 6 May 2022.
- ^ a b "Fire Engulfs Aviation College in Russian Town Hit by Blast Days Earlier". Newsweek. 14 May 2022.
- ^ Berkhead, Samantha. "Textbooks destroyed in Russia's latest mystery fire". The Times. ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 6 May 2022.
- ^ Cole, Brendan (4 May 2022). "Video shows huge fireball in Nizhny Novgorod, Russia as blaze breaks out". Newsweek. Retrieved 6 May 2022.
- ^ "В Нижневартовске военкомат забросали «коктейлями Молотова»". Правда УрФО (in Russian). 4 May 2022. Retrieved 6 June 2022.
- ^ Brugen, Isabel van (5 May 2022). "Mysterious fire in Kursk, Russia as videos show huge tower of black smoke". Newsweek. Retrieved 6 May 2022.
- ^ Carbonaro, Giulia (11 May 2022). "Mysterious explosions rock Russia as fire breaks out in Belgorod". Newsweek. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
- ^ "Gunpowder blast at military unit in Russia's Far East kills one, injures several others". tass.com. Retrieved 21 May 2022.
- ^ Cole, Brendan (17 May 2022). "Mysterious factory fire in Russia as blaze engulfs building". Newsweek. Retrieved 21 May 2022.
- ^ Cole, Brendan (21 May 2022). "Fire erupts at Russia aviation institute near Moscow as Ukraine war rages". Newsweek. Retrieved 21 May 2022.
- ^ Perring, Rebecca (25 May 2022). "Moscow in FLAMES: Roof of Orthodox Christian cathedral collapses after blaze". Express.co.uk. Retrieved 1 June 2022.
- ^ "В Москве загорелся храм Петра и Павла, построенный в XVII веке". Красная весна (in Russian). Retrieved 6 June 2022.
- ^ "Huge blaze breaks out in Moscow business centre". 3 June 2022. Retrieved 4 June 2022.
- ^ "In Russia, an unknown person set fire to the building of the National Guard. Smoke to the sky (video) - Global Happenings". https://globalhappenings.com. Retrieved 5 June 2022.
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- ^ "https://twitter.com/igorsushko/status/1534559368561188867". Twitter. Retrieved 8 June 2022.
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- ^ "https://twitter.com/singerbaritone/status/1534546335017345025". Twitter. Retrieved 9 June 2022.
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- ^ КАПУСТИН, Марк (8 June 2022). "Во Владивостоке неизвестные подожгли военкомат и пытались снять это на видео". dv.kp.ru (in Russian). Retrieved 9 June 2022.
- ^ "В Усть-Луге мощный пожар — горит лесной терминал «Фактор»". fontanka.ru - новости Санкт-Петербурга (in Russian). 10 June 2022. Retrieved 11 June 2022.