Explosion in Chuvashia Gas Pipeline Supplying Europe, Casualties Reported

An explosion occurred on the Urengoy-Pomary-Uzhgorod main gas pipeline in Chuvashia (Russia), as reported by RIA Novosti. According to the Chuvashia Ministry of Emergency Situations, local emergency services were informed at 13:44 local time about a fire caused by a gas leak near the village of Yambakhtino in the Vurnary district.

The press service of the Republic's leader clarified that the explosion took place during renovation work on the Urengoy-Pomary-Uzhgorod main gas pipeline. "The gas combustion at the accident site has been eliminated. It has been determined that the gas pipeline was damaged during planned renovation work on a section of the underground gas pipeline with a diameter of 1420 mm," the statement read.

Preliminary reports indicate that three people have died and one more has been injured. It should be noted that the explosion occurred in a Russian export gas pipeline that transports blue fuel from Siberia to Europe. The Urengoy-Pomary-Uzhgorod pipeline crosses the Russian-Ukrainian border from the Sudzha station in the Kursk region and is currently the only entry point from Russia to Europe for gas entering Ukraine.