Explosion in Luhansk triggers major panic, over 25,000 people cross border into Russia

As tension between Russia and Kyiv remain at a peak with escalated shelling in anti-government controlled territories in east Ukraine, a powerful explosion hit Luhansk People's Republic (LPR), on Friday, damaging local gas infrastructure. massive blast occurred in Druzhba gas pipeline, leing to a huge fire, Sputnik reported, citing management of gas manufacturing unit.

"At 00:10 on 19 February, calls began to arrive about a major fire on gas pipeline near Malaya Vergunka, emergency teams of State Unitary Enterprise 'Luganskgaz' went to scene," "Luganskgaz," told reporters, as quoted by Sputnik.

incident comes after new Russian invasion fears spurred in Europe after pro-Russian rebels increased mortar shelling along frontlines in eastern Ukraine. Meanwhile, a humanitarian convoy evacuating civilians from conflict zone was hit by artillery exchanges near eastern city of Donetsk, Associated Press reported. Meanwhile, sporic eruption of cross-border retaliatory shelling has pushed at least 25,000 residents of self-proclaimed Luhansk People's Republic (LPR) to cross border into Russia, LPR Emergencies Ministry said on Saturday, as quoted by Sputnik.

Notably, LPR and DPR announced an evacuation of ir citizens in wake of a military quagmire at anti-Kyiv regions near Ukraine-Russia border. 25,000 citizens were moved to Russia's Rostov Region in ir personal transport. In dition, three more convoys with a total of 10,000 refugees are being prepared to move across border as a precautionary measure.

Biden 'convinced' Russia wants to inve Ukraine

dressing a press briefing on Friday, US President Joe Biden expressed his disappointment with Russian aggression along Ukraine border. Saying that he is "convinced" that Putin has me a decision to inve Ukraine, he said that Washington is rey to impose "severe sanctions" on Russia "if it chooses war." Biden said, "As of this moment, I am convinced he (Putin) has me decision. But it is not too late to reverse that decision. Russia can still choose diplomacy. It is not too late to de-escalate and return to negotiation table." He also stressed that US and its European are rey to impose "severe" sanctions on Russia as retaliation to Ukraine's invasion.

casce of developments follows an announcement by Russian President Vlimir Putin, who declared massive nuclear drills near occupied territories in a bid to flex military strength against potential Western threats posed by expansion missions of North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO). This comes as earlier this week Putin agreed to follow path of diplomacy to quell furr exacerbation of standoff between Kyiv and Moscow, which has now evidently gripped West.

(Image: AP/Unsplash (representative)