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Fire breaks out at Ukrainian Cabinet of Ministers in Kiev

Ukrainian media outlets reported earlier heavy smoke in downtown Kiev

MOSCOW, September 7. /TASS/. A fire broke out in the building of the Ukrainian Cabinet of Ministers in the country’s capital of Kiev, Prime Minister Yulia Sviridenko stated on her Facebook (banned in Russia due to its ownership by Meta designated as extremist) account on Sunday.

Ukrainian media outlets reported earlier heavy smoke in downtown Kiev.

Sviridenko attached to her post in Facebook pictures of the fire, including from the inside interior of the building.

The Ukrainian premier later stated in her another social network post that "the Ukrainian government building has been damaged for the first time ever. The roof and upper floors of the building are ablaze. Firefighters are combatting the blaze."

According to RBC-Ukraine reports, helicopters are involved in the emergency relief operation to put out the fire in the building that houses the Ukrainian Cabinet of Ministers.

Igor Klimenko, a spokesman for the Ukrainian Emergencies Ministry, announced later that in addition to helicopters some 400 rescuers and up to 100 firefighting hardware take part in combating the fire.

"Rescuers have contained the blaze that engulfed an area of 1,000 square meters and continue with efforts to put it out," Klimenko stated.

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