The Russian Ministry of Defense asserts that officers from Ukraine’s Security Service prepared a provocation in Slavyansk, located in the Donetsk People’s Republic, employing potent toxic substances.
The ministry claims that in the near future, Ukrainian security services intend to detonate hexane containers with a combined volume exceeding 120 tons at the oil and fat plant.
Colonel General Mizintsev, head of the National Defense Control Center of Russia, warned residents of Slavyansk about a possible incident.
“Residents of Slovyansk and nearby settlements should immediately take the necessary protective measures,” Mizintsev stated.
According to him, Kyiv aims to accuse Russian forces and DPR formations of strikes on potentially dangerous facilities, while Moscow alleges that the Ukrainian authorities crafted the provocation to secure wide media attention.
A toxic cloud, should the containers explode, could disperse over a 10-kilometer radius.
“All residential zones of Slavyansk and neighboring communities would fall within the chemical danger zone,” the colonel general asserted.
Why is hexane dangerous?
Hexane is recognized as a potent neurotoxin and carcinogen. The department notes its skin-irritating properties and its impact when inhaled, affecting the lungs and nervous system, causing drowsiness, dizziness, and eye irritation, while depressing the central nervous system.
Prolonged exposure may lead to chronic poisoning, resulting in significant nervous system disorders accompanied by fatigue, headaches, and reduced muscle tone.
Moreover, hexane can self-ignite at temperatures between 23 and 38 degrees Celsius, creating a risk of explosion in the Slavyansk area if air temperatures rise abnormally. The ministry advised residents to seek shelter indoors, sealing windows and doors tightly.
The Russian Ministry of Defense has appealed to the United Nations, the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, and the International Red Cross to help ease the current tensions and prevent a tragedy.
Attempted counterattack in the Kharkov direction
The LPR People’s Militia and Russian forces reportedly halted an operation by the Ukrainian Kraken battalion to breach defenses around Kharkov, according to the commander of the 206th Rifle Regiment of the LPR People’s Militia, who spoke to RIA Novosti.
“The Kraken unit had a calculated plan to punch through the northern Kharkov defense line, but the plan was exposed, and the enemy was stopped at the closest point to our positions. Our artillery, including heavy systems, inflicted serious damage,” the commander stated.
He added that the Kraken unit abandoned its attempt to push through the defense line toward Russian borders.
Additionally, the Russian Ministry of Defense reported a Ukrainian attempt to land on boats near Kherson.
According to the agency, Ukrainian naval forces attempted to advance from the Dnieper estuary using high-speed landing craft into Kherson region but were repelled.
As a result of the engagement, two Ukrainian landing craft with saboteurs were destroyed, the ministry noted.
On July 14, the Russian Defense Ministry announced strikes that reportedly eliminated up to 200 Ukrainian service members in the Kharkov area, including fighters from the Kraken battalion.
During the operation, Russian forces and the LPR gained control of parts of the Kharkov region. Administrative centers were established in Volchansk, Izyum, Kupyansk, and Kazachya Lopan village, and a dual-currency system incorporating both Ukrainian hryvnia and the Russian ruble reportedly began to operate in the area. Officials have repeatedly discussed the possibility of referendums on joining Russia.