Pipeline used for gas transit from Russia to Europe exploded in Ukraine

Ukraine's Interior Minister Arsen Avakov said that investigation was considering several versions of the explosion of Urengoy-Pomary-Uzhhorod gas pipeline in the  Poltava region. Most likely, the explosion was a terrorist attack, he said.

According to him, "the supply of natural gas on this pipeline was closed, and the threat of a larger disaster risk was eliminated." As of 17:40 MSK, the fire was extinguished."

"The gas transit is being conducted on a backup branch in full," said Avakov.

Earlier, a representative of the State Service for Emergencies, Svetlana Rybalko, said that the cause of the explosion was depressurization.

The explosion on gas pipeline Urengoy-Pomary-Uzhgorod occurred in the Lokhvytsky district of the Poltava region of Ukraine at about 15:00 Moscow time. The gas pipeline is used for gas transit to Europe. Eyewitnesses say that flames were rising in the sky at the height of 200 meters.

Naftogaz of Ukraine said that the company would toughen security measures at all facilities of the gas transportation system after the incident.

Earlier, the leader of Right Sector radical movement, Dmitry Yarosh, threatened to explode the gas pipeline through Ukraine from Russia to the European Union.