Oil tank on fire, gas pipeline blown as Russian forces advances toward Kyiv

Shafaq News/ An oil tank caught fire as a result of a missile strike at the Ukrainian town of Vasylkiv, southwest of Kyiv, in the early hours of Sunday morning. Russian forces also blew up a gas pipeline in Kharkiv, the country's second-largest city.

Russia's attack on Kyiv continued on Sunday morning, with two large explosions lighting up the night sky south of the Ukrainian capital. While one detonation appeared to be approximately 20 kilometres, from the city downtown, the second explosion rocked the southwestern part of Kyiv just before 1 am (local time), media reported.

Russian forces also blew up a gas pipeline in Kharkiv, the country's second-largest city. The State Service of Special Communication and Information Protection warned that the explosion, which it said looked like a mushroom cloud, could cause an "environmental catastrophe" and advised residents to cover their windows with damp cloth or gauze and to drink plenty of fluids.

However, at the same time, the Telegram channel of the State Service of Special Communications and Information Protection warned against misinformation, saying this was not a nuclear strike, although the explosion was visually similar to that.

Heavy shelling was reported in Kharkiv in eastern Ukraine in the early hours of Sunday.

Russian missiles even hit the Ukrainian town of Vasylkiv southwest of Kyiv, setting an oil terminal ablaze. Photographs and video posted online showed large flames rising in the night sky.

Fighting on the city’s outskirts suggested that small Russian units were trying to clear a path for the main forces. Small groups of Russian troops were reported inside Kyiv, but Britain and the U.S. said the bulk of the forces were 19 miles (30 kilometers) from the city’s center as of Saturday afternoon.

Russia claims its assault on Ukraine from the north, east and south is aimed only at military targets, but bridges, schools and residential neighborhoods have been hit.

A missile struck a high-rise apartment building in Kyiv’s southwestern outskirts near one of the city’s two passenger airports, leaving a jagged hole of ravaged apartments over several floors. A rescue worker said six civilians were injured.

Though the Russians claim they are advancing towards the capital while taking control of all tactical locations, Ukraine is not ready to bow down.

(Input from several agencies)