Oil Depot in Luhansk Explodes After Ukrainian Forces' Missile Attack: LPR Adviser

The fire at an oil depot in Luhansk was caused by a massive explosion by Ukraine’s attack in the separatist region, a top official close to the Luhansk People's Republic (LPR) has claimed.

Rodion Miroshnik, adviser to the head of LPR, posted on Telegram on Monday, “The armed formations of Ukraine struck at the Lugansk oil depot. Ukraine could have launched a Tochka-U missile at the depot.” He added that the “fire is visible from a great distance.”

The LPR is a self-proclaimed breakaway state located within Ukraine, designated as a terrorist organization in Ukraine.

On February 21, three days before Russia invaded Ukraine, pro-Russian separatist regions in Ukraine's Donbass - Donetsk and Luhansk - were declared independent by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The massive explosion at Luhansk's oil depot comes a day after Moscow-run state media shared footage claiming that Ukraine's forces had withdrawn from the rebel-held Donetsk region. The video was reportedly captured from Donetsk around 6.55 a.m. (local time).

500-kg Russian bomb fails to explode

A powerful 500-kg Russian bomb FAB-500 that reportedly fell on a residential building in Chernihiv has failed to explode, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba has claimed. “Many others did- killing innocent men, women and children. Help us protect our people from Russian barbarians! Help us close the sky. Provide us with combat aircraft. Do something!” Kuleba posted on his official Twitter account.

Russia declares ceasefire in 4 Ukrainian cities

Russia has reportedly declared a ceasefire in Kyiv, Mariupol, Kharkiv and Sumy from 10 AM (Moscow time) on Monday to allow for the evacuation of civilians. The move comes on French President Emmanuel Macron's request, reports say. On Sunday, Macron spoke to Putin on “preserving the integrity of Ukraine's civilian nuclear plants.” Demands like ceasefire and the protection of civilians was also discussed.

The two warring parties had agreed to a ceasefire twice to create safe corridors for civilians in Mariupol and Volnovakha to exit the cities - but was abandoned after Russia began shelling again. Russia accused Ukraine of “sabotaging the ceasefire.” The Third round of peace negotiations between Ukraine and Russia are likely to take place on March 7.