Terrifying footage shows a billowing cloud of smoke and nitric acid turning the sky over Rubizhne, eastern Ukraine, red following the missile strike on the tanker. Nitric acid is extremely dangerous when inhaled or the skin comes into contact with it. Luhansk Regional Military Administration chief Serhiy Haidai urged locals to use “gas masks” to protect themselves from the gas.
Inhaling the smoke can cause bronchitis, dizziness, and, in extreme cases, pulmonary edema.
In a statement shared on Telegram, Mr Haidai said: “Prepare protective face masks soaked in soda solution.
“When applied topically to the eyes, nitric acid causes severe damage with extensive necrosis of the cornea and conjunctiva, leading to vision loss.
“First aid: if nitric acid gets into the eyes, rinse them under running water for 10-30 minutes. If it gets on the skin, wash the affected area with water, add baking soda and soap.”
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The local officials however later confirmed there was no risk to life for Ukrainians, taking a swipe at the Russians for failing to deliver a blow to Luhansk’s defensive forces.
In a Facebook post, they said: “There is no threat to the life of the population.
“The Russians do not know how to fight – they did not even calculate which direction the wind blows.
“The cloud spread in the direction of their positions near Kudriashivka and Varvarivka.”
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However, Ukraine officials have maintained the Russian Army is still trying to capture the city.
Luhansk and the Dnipro regions were the targets of repeated Russian attacks over the weekend, with Ukraine’s official claiming an airport was completely destroyed in the strikes.
Dnipropetrovsk region governor Valentyn Reznichenko said emergency workers were combing through an infrastructure facility that was hit in the town of Zvonetsky, adding that details on casualties would be given later.
The Russian Defence Ministry said: “Overnight high-precision missiles destroyed the base and headquarters of the nationalist Dnepr battalion in Zvonetsky, which also recently received reinforcements from foreign mercenaries.”