Governor says Ukrainian helicopters attacked oil depot in Russia, causing fire

MOSCOW/KIEV, April 1 (Xinhua) -- A fire broke out at an oil depot in the Russian city of Belgorod after two Ukrainian military helicopters attacked the fuel storage facility, Vyacheslav Gladkov, governor of the Belgorod Region, said Friday.

Hours later, spokesman for the Ukrainian Defense Ministry Olexandr Motuzyanyk said he does not confirm or deny the information about Ukraine's involvement in the fire at the oil depot in Russia's Belgorod, the Interfax-Ukraine news agency reported.

"I will neither confirm nor deny this information," Motuzyanyk told reporters at a media briefing in Kiev.

Ukraine has been carrying out a defensive operation to repel "Russian armed aggression" on the territory of Ukraine, he said.

"This does not mean that Ukraine should be responsible for all miscalculations, all catastrophes, and all the events taking place in Russia," Motuzyanyk added.

The fire at the oil depot occurred "as a result of an airstrike carried out by two helicopters of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, which entered the Russian airspace at a low altitude," Gladkov wrote on his Telegram channel earlier on Friday.

All emergency services are on the scene, he said, adding that civilians are not in danger.

Gladkov said that two oil depot workers had been injured in the fire.