Ukraine has denied responsibility for a fiery blast at a civilian oil storage facility on Russian territory.
Russian officials have accused Ukraine of mounting a helicopter attack early on April 1 on the fuel depot located near Belgorod, not far from Russia's border with Ukraine.
“For some reason they say that we did it, but in fact this does not correspond with reality,” Oleksiy Danilov, the secretary of Ukraine’s National Security Council, said on Ukrainian television on April 1.
In a later interview with an American television network, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy declined to say whether Ukraine had carried out the attack. Ukrainian defense officials have declined to comment directly on the reports.
Video posted to social media early on April 1 showed an explosion and flames in the predawn night sky near Belgorod, which is around 25 kilometers from the border with Ukraine.
Other videos showed what they said were helicopters near Belgorod firing rockets or missiles.
Belgorod Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said on the Telegram messaging app that the helicopters struck the facility after crossing the border at low altitude. Gladkov said that two workers were injured.
Speaking to reporters, a Ukrainian Defense Ministry spokesman refused to comment directly on whether its forces were responsible for the blast, but said its armed forces were conducting “defense operations” against Russia more broadly.
"Ukraine is currently conducting a defensive operation against Russian aggression on the territory of Ukraine, and this does not mean that Ukraine is responsible for every catastrophe on Russia's territory," spokesman Oleksandr Motuzyanyk said. “I will not confirm or deny these allegations.”
Russian state-owned oil company Rosneft, which owns the fuel depot, said in a separate statement that no one was hurt in the fire. It gave no information on the cause.
SEE ALSO: Ukraine Live Briefing: Russian Missile Strikes On KyivKremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, meanwhile, said the incident could undermine negotiations between Russian and Ukrainian representatives.
“Certainly, this is not something that can be perceived as creating comfortable conditions for the continuation of the talks,” Peskov told reporters in Moscow.
The accusations by Russia attracted worldwide attention because it would have marked the first attack on Russian soil by Ukraine since Moscow launched its war against Kyiv more than a month ago.
It would also be the first military attack on Russian soil by a foreign force since World War II.