Russia on Thursday accused Ukraine of detonating a defunct pipeline that once carried Russian ammonia through Ukrainian territory, causing the release of toxic gas near the frontline in the eastern Donetsk region.
According to the Russian Defence Ministry, the alleged explosion occurred around 1:05 pm (1005 GMT) near the village of Rusin Yar, as Ukrainian forces were retreating from the area.
“During Ukraine’s retreat from the area at around 1:05 pm on October 9, 2025, the pipeline was blown up, resulting in the release of ammonia residues through the damaged section,” the ministry said in a statement, accusing Kyiv of attempting to slow Russian advances.
The ministry also released a video purportedly showing plumes of a chemical substance rising from the ground.
Ukraine has not yet commented on the incident.
Ammonia, a key ingredient in fertiliser production, is highly toxic in large quantities. Before Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, the Tolyatti-Odesa pipeline transported millions of tonnes of ammonia from the Russian city of Tolyatti to Ukraine’s Black Sea ports for export.
Operations on the pipeline were halted shortly after Moscow launched its full-scale invasion, and both countries have traded accusations of damaging it in the past, including a similar incident reported in 2023.
What you should know
The Tolyatti-Odesa pipeline was once a major artery for global fertiliser exports, and repeated damage to it underscores the wider environmental and economic fallout of the ongoing war.
Thursday’s alleged rupture adds to a string of incidents highlighting the risks of toxic leaks in conflict zones.
