Russia

Russia: Explosion at Gas Station Leaves 35 Dead

AUG 15 2023·Updated AUG 27

Story

Image credit: Wikimedia Commons

The Facts

On Monday evening, an explosion at a gas station in the southern Russian region of Dagestan — caused by a fire at a nearby building — killed at least 35 and injured dozens more.
nytimes
According to Russia's Emergency Ministry, the fire — which spanned 600 square meters on the outskirts of the regional capital Makhachkala — injured at least 105 people.
FOX News
Though there are no indications that the explosion is connected to Russia's war with Ukraine, officials have declared a state of emergency and launched an investigation into the incident.
wapo
A succinct message of condolence was published by the Kremlin from Russian Pres. Vladimir Putin following the incident in Dagestan, a notably poor part of Russia's majority-Muslim Northern Caucasus region which has been the site of intermittent protests, including over the invasion of Ukraine.
nytimes
The families of the deceased will reportedly receive ₽1M each (about $10K), while each injured person will receive between ₽200K and ₽400K ($2K and $4K).
Daily Caller
The gas station explosion occurred on the same day a separate blast killed two people and wounded five more at an oil mine in the Khanty-Mansiysk region in western Siberia.
CBS News

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The Spin

Pro-Russia narrative

Russian authorities are already conducting a probe into this tragedy to determine whether safety protocols were violated or it was a result of arson. Moscow will do everything possible to save lives and bring potential wrongdoers to justice.

RT International

Anti-Russia narrative

As Russian gas emits methane at rates eight times higher than the EU's domestic sources, reliance on Putin's petrol industry exacerbates security concerns and global warming. The EU, in particular, should implement measures such as accurate methane reporting, increasing renewable energy, and diversifying gas imports, to reduce Russia's geopolitical leverage and environmental impact.

The Hill