For the last 14 hours Balakleya continues to shake with explosions. In the night of Thursday in the city caught fire military ammunition depots.
In the area of the explosion, in Balakleya and the nearby villages, home to about 35 thousand people. In the morning rescuers have evacuated more than 20 thousand local residents and the evacuation is still ongoing.
According to eyewitnesses, the fragments of ammunition killed Windows in some homes, destroyed a roof, one of the houses caught fire. Most of the inhabitants left the territory is still night left on their cars and in buses. The blast was denied entry and had set up checkpoints. In the deserted settlements began looting and robbery.
According to the Prime Minister Vladimir Groysman, the elimination of disasters may take from three days to a week. Local residents told “Today” about what is happening in the area of the explosions.
Near Blakley exploded ammunition depot.
Photo: Max Korzhova, vk.com/makcumka54korsh
Near Blakley exploded ammunition depot.
Photo: SSES
Near Blakley exploded ammunition depot.
Photo: SSES
Near Blakley exploded ammunition depot.
Photo: SSES
Near Blakley exploded ammunition depot.
Photo: SSES
Near Blakley exploded ammunition depot.
Photo: SSES
Near Blakley exploded ammunition depot.
Photo: SSES
Near Blakley exploded ammunition depot.
Photo: SSES
Near Blakley exploded ammunition depot.
Photo: O. Yermolenko
Near Blakley exploded ammunition depot.
Photo: O. Yermolenko
Near Blakley exploded ammunition depot.
Photo: O. Yermolenko
Near Blakley exploded ammunition depot.
Photo: O. Yermolenko
Near Blakley exploded ammunition depot.
Balakliia – the regional center of Kharkiv region. Located on the left Bank of the Seversky Donets river. The distance between the city and Kharkov more than 90 km and a Population of 29 thousand people.
The first explosions occurred about three o’clock in the morning. To return home today people are afraid.
“I heard the explosions about three o’clock in the morning. Without something three was the first explosion, after a couple of minutes the second. Then they started to scatter missiles. I started to panic. At four in the morning we already went there. My father, who is there now says that the flying shells – and in Balakleya, and across the river, and in the next place. The shells explode volley after the other. Today to return, we definitely do not plan. And we first take a trip together with her husband, and then see whether to carry children,” said Julia, Palnichenko.
People had to quickly leave the city. According to local residents, in the city center began the robbery.
“We are about 10 kilometers from the epicenter. He left by car with their parents. Saw Armored vehicles, buses, police and ambulances, many camps. The explosions are constant. Basically, not strong and every 10 minutes you hear a powerful explosion. Missiles like already shot. Began to plunder – a day in the city centre was surrounded by Lombard,” – says “Today” Yana Korol’kova.
Author photo: Oleg Ermolenko, “Today”
Because of the powerful explosions, some local residents had to hide in the basement.
“When it happened, I was in Kharkov. My family hid in the cellar, now they are left to Raisin city. At this point in Balakleya is my grandfather. On the site (ammunition depots. – Ed.) is a good friend of mine in the military. He deals with the elimination of fire and explosions”, – said Stas Steblin.
The family Vlad Verbitsky from Balakliia had to make a circle and instead of 30 km to overcome twice the distance to get to the village Andreevka
“During the explosion I was in a hostel in Kharkov. Parents were forced to leave the area, went to the village Andreevka. And what is most interesting – two main roads (to Kharkov through the serpents and the Kharkov Rostov highway) was closed. That is, through them it was impossible to pass. So to get to Edmonton, my parents drove 30 miles instead of 60. My home is 400-500 metres from the base. And this is why from the very beginning everything was very well heard. Left a night, 3 hours it was 8 kilometers away from the epicenter of fire and explosions”, – told the “Today” Vlad Verbitsky.
As told “Today” employee of the plant “Henkel Bautechnik” in the city of Balakliya the explosions in the city heard constantly, sometimes volleys to stop but then resumes with the same force. One of the rockets even flew over the man’s head and exploded just 300 metres away.
Photo: Max Korzhova, vk.com/makcumka54korsh
“The projectile flew near his head and exploded over the river, and only 300 meters away from me. From here to the place of explosion (ammunition storage. – Ed.) about 10 km, not more. I’m in Kharkov took the family and returned to the plant. Are now career. The plant is closed. No one, one protection. Explosions are heard constantly. Fades, and then again heard with the same force. Fly like new year fireworks, just like this big, huge. Seen well. The projectile and in Husarivka flew. And there is generally about 17 km (from the ammunition dump. – Ed.)”, – said an employee of the plant.
A man together with his family went from city to Kharkov early in the morning, as soon as began to be heard explosions. About 9 o’clock in the morning, came back Balakleya. Lives in an apartment building, a few kilometres from the munitions depots.
“Travel by night from the city was not difficult. Was driving about 4 in the morning, cars were full. Back to Balakliya to go was easier, all missed free. Are the police, but they didn’t stop us. 7 hours left Kharkov and 8:30 was in balakliia. Refilling working gas is sold at 10,8 UAH. Light the plant has, and the gas is blocked everywhere: in the city and in the village, in the private sector,” – said a local resident.
“I went into town about 9 o’clock, took clothes and food. Our 9-storey building is now empty, nobody is there. Located three miles from the railway station and over the railway starts from the base. In apartments, some neighbors flew out the window,” he says.
Village Recruitment is tight to Balakliya. In the village live more than 3.5 thousand people. In the village, the looting began, and people evacuated in the field.
“The explosions rattled the wrong word. Shells flew everywhere. People dumped buses just in a field a few kilometers from the village. Cars in three rows on the sidelines are the people waiting for the explosions to cease. Early in the morning we went to Kharkov to stay with relatives. Friends say that in the village looting began, from the cellars even banks endure,” said a resident of Recruiting Irina Kitaygorodskaya.
“We’ve gone from Recruiting in October at half past two nights. Left themselves on their own, as in the hands of a small child. Grabbed the documents and necessities. Our house is very close to the deck, the yard is seen. What’s wrong with him now we don’t know, it’s hard to imagine. We are 50 kilometers from the warehouse, but still well heard the explosions, seen as missiles fly and blow up, – told the “Today” Denis Pavlov.
Another resident of the village of Svetoslav Kirichenko did not leave the village because it is situated at the other end of the village. There the pieces do not fly. According to the man on the streets of the village deserted.
“I’m on the far side from the base of ammunition. Here damage is not seen. I never left, yet nowhere. People on the streets cannot be seen at all. Electricity and water is there, but the gas turned off. Explosions now seen and heard,” – said a resident of the recruitment of Sviatoslav Kirichenko.
The village of yakovenkove, is located 10 km from Blakley. A population of 1126 people. In the village of munitions debris knocked out Windows, and some homes were left without roofs. Buses for evacuation in the village have not seen. A village head is trying to take villagers from the village on their own.
“I live on the other side of the village – we even the Windows are carved. The houses that are closer to the base of the roof remained, the fragments reach the center of the village. Evacuation nobody holds. People leave their cars or looking for empty seats in other cars. The head of the village Council is trying to take away the inhabitants of their own. Electricity in the village. The bombings stop, then resumed with renewed vigor. People go to Volokhov Yar – organized point of heating”, – said the resident of yakovenkove Valentine Cake.
“When we left, the explosions only increased. In some houses the glass was knocked out, often flying debris. A lot of people went to Volokhov Yar before the announcement of evacuation. Now residents evacuated in Pyatigorsk – 36 km from Blakley,” – says Maxim Kovalevsky.
“The explosions became less. All who could left in the morning, left a bit. Those affected are not heard. I left before the explosion, left today my parents”, – said the resident of yakovenkove Alex Vystorobets.
Photo: social networks
You could hear explosions in the village of Pyatigorskaya, 36 km from Blakley. Here evacuated some residents of the danger zone.
Local resident Dennis notes that even they in the village were explosions and shaking Windows.
“The explosions, the Windows were shaking. It was three o’clock in the morning until ten in the morning. Now like quiet, can not hear the explosions. We are located in the village of Pyatigorskaya, did not leave. There is no smell. It seems to be quiet and peaceful. There is electricity, water, gas – everything is there. I live in a two story house. Of the neighbors, some people have already Packed up and left or left – I don’t know. The school we have now is not working. Kindergartens seem to be the same, at least not seen there today, took the children,” said the man.
Recall that in Balakleya (Kharkiv region) in a military warehouse, an explosion occurred, followed by fire and a chain detonation of ammunition. According to the State service for emergency situations, 13:00 the fire area has only grown. To eliminate the fire fails. Residents of nearby villages evacuated. Rescue teams are looking for those who left the danger zone.
The SBU opened criminal proceedings under article 113 of the Criminal code of Ukraine and has described the state of emergency in Balakleya as a diversion. Next to the warehouse of ammunition located densely populated village borschivka, Recruitment and yakovenkove, train station, depot, school and a number of enterprises.
