Russia’s Ministry of Defense accused Ukraine of striking a disused ammonia pipeline on Thursday, releasing clouds of toxic gas into the air.
As per AFP, Russia said that the incident took place near the frontline village of Rusin Yar in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region.
“During Ukraine’s retreat from the area at around 1:05 pm (1005 GMT) on Oct. 9, 2025, the pipeline was blown up, resulting in the release of ammonia residues through the damaged section,” the Russian Defense Ministry claimed.
A video shared by the Kremlin shows gusts of white smoke emanating from the damaged pipe.
The Donetsk Regional Military Administration stressed that there is no threat to people’s lives, as per UNN. Although the presence of white smoke may indicate the presence of residual ammonia, the Donetsk section of the pipeline has been inactive since 2014 – when Russia’s invasion of eastern Ukraine made it too dangerous to continue operating.
According to the Conflict and Environment Observatory, the pipeline covers a distance of more than 2,400 kilometers (1,500 miles) – roughly 1,030 kilometers (640 miles) of which are in Ukrainian territory and therefore vulnerable to attack.
The Tolyatti-Odesa pipeline once connected the southwestern Russian city of Tolyatti to the Odesa region of southwestern Ukraine. From there, it could be packaged and exported internationally via the city’s port.
However, the pipeline ceased operations on the day that Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
In June 2023, a section of the pipeline was ruptured near the northeastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv.
As per the Conflict and Environment Observatory, the concentration of ammonia in the air after that incident reached up to 7 ng/m3 – concerningly close to the Ukrainian safety limit of 10 ng/m3.
According to the Donetsk Regional Military Administration, the risk posed by Thursday’s incident is much lower.
“The cloud spreads in the direction of Druzhkivka, a smell is possible… In case of a noticeable smell, it is enough to close the windows and limit staying outdoors – this is a preventative step. Official services will inform about changes,” they said.