A series of unusual fires and
explosion
An explosion is a rapid expansion in volume of a given amount of matter associated with an extreme outward release of energy, usually with the generation of high temperatures and release of high-pressure gases. Explosions may also be generated ...
s have occurred in Russia since the
invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, which have not been formally explained. There have been many notable
arson attacks on military recruitment offices in Russia since the beginning of the war, and there has been speculation that some of the fires or explosions have been the result of sabotage efforts by Russian partisans (such as
Svoboda Rossii or
Atesh partisan legion) or Ukrainian saboteurs.
Overview
A "yellow" (medium) terrorist threat level was introduced in
Bryansk
Bryansk (, ) is a types of inhabited localities in Russia, city and the administrative center of Bryansk Oblast, Russia, situated on the Desna (river), Desna River, southwest of Moscow. It has a population of 379,152 at the 2021 census.
Bryans ...
,
Kursk
Kursk (, ) is a types of inhabited localities in Russia, city and the administrative center of Kursk Oblast, Russia, located at the confluence of the Kur (Kursk Oblast), Kur, Tuskar, and Seym (river), Seym rivers. It has a population of
Kursk ...
, and
Belgorod
Belgorod (, ) is a city that serves as the administrative center of Belgorod Oblast, Russia, located on the Seversky Donets River, approximately north of the border with Ukraine. It has a population of
It was founded in 1596 as a defensiv ...
oblasts, as well as some districts of
Voronezh Oblast
Voronezh Oblast is a federal subjects of Russia, federal subject of Russia (an oblast). Its administrative center is the types of inhabited localities in Russia, city of Voronezh. Its population was 2,308,792 as of the Russian Census (2021), 20 ...
,
Krasnodar Krai
Krasnodar Krai (, ) is a federal subjects of Russia, federal subject of Russia (a krai), located in the North Caucasus region in Southern Russia and is administratively a part of the Southern Federal District. Its administrative center is the t ...
, and northern
Crimea
Crimea ( ) is a peninsula in Eastern Europe, on the northern coast of the Black Sea, almost entirely surrounded by the Black Sea and the smaller Sea of Azov. The Isthmus of Perekop connects the peninsula to Kherson Oblast in mainland Ukrain ...
. Starting from the end of March, a series of incidents and explosions were reported in border regions of Bryansk, Kursk, Belgorod, and Voronezh Oblasts. Russian officials reported
mortar shelling,
drone attacks, and
helicopter gunship attacks allegedly coming "from
the Ukrainian side".
The Ukrainian side refused to confirm or deny involvement in incidents at
strategic locations.
There were allegations that some of the fires or explosions were the result of Ukrainian
sabotage
Sabotage is a deliberate action aimed at weakening a polity, government, effort, or organization through subversion, obstruction, demoralization (warfare), demoralization, destabilization, divide and rule, division, social disruption, disrupti ...
.
In May, a series of incidents on
railway lines in Russia impeded the deployment of troops and military equipment to Ukraine; responsibility for these incidents was claimed by the Internet movement "
Stop the Wagons"
(a reference to the
Russian anti-war slogan "Stop the War").
List of reported fires
2022
2023
2024
See also
*
2024 Russian wildfires
In 2024, far-reaching wildfires ignited and spread across large areas of Russian territory, primarily in Siberia and also in southern regions. The wildfires resulted in a burnt area of 8.8 million hectares (21.7 million acres) by July ...
*
2023 Kremlin drone explosion
*
2022 Siberian wildfires
*
Attacks in Russia during the Russian invasion of Ukraine
There have been attacks in mainland Russia as a result of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which began on 24 February 2022. The main targets have been Russian Armed Forces, the military, the Arms industry of Russia, arms industry and the Petr ...
*
Crimean Bridge explosion
*
Freedom of Russia Legion
The Freedom of Russia Legion (FRL, ; ; abbr. ''ЛСР'', ''LSR''), also called the Free Russia Legion, is a Ukrainian-based Paramilitary, paramilitary unit of Russian citizens, which Opposition to Vladimir Putin in Russia, opposes the Russia u ...
*
Russian military commissariats attacks
*
Suspicious Russia-related deaths since 2022
*
Rail war in Russia (2022–present)
Rail or rails may refer to:
Rail transport
*Rail transport and related matters
*Railway track or railway lines, the running surface of a railway
Arts and media Film
* ''Rails'' (film), a 1929 Italian film by Mario Camerini
* ''Rail'' (1967 fil ...
Notes
Original Russian terms
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Russian mystery fires (2022-present)
2022 fires in Asia
2022 fires in Europe
2022 in Russia
Building and structure fires in Russia
Explosions in Russia
2022 disasters in Russia
2023 disasters in Russia
Belarusian and Russian partisan movement (2022–present)
2023 fires in Asia
2024 fires in Asia
2023 fires in Europe
2024 fires in Europe
2024 disasters in Russia
Warehouse fires