Fears that the war in east of Ukraine could lead to deadly chemical disaster
Fierce fighting in the Donbas region has already resulted in the destruction of a number of chemical plants
As the war in Ukraine drags on into its fourth month, there have been increasing reports of attacks on chemical facilities. On 31 May an air strike in Severodonetsk caused the explosion of a nitric acid container, spewing a huge cloud of toxic fumes into the air, with residents urged to stay in their homes . On 12 June there were reports of a huge fire at the Azot chemical plant in the same city, where hundreds of civilians were sheltering .