On March 23, a fire broke out on separate sites of an armament base, located in the city of Balakliia. According to Chief Military Prosecutor of Ukraine Anatolii Matios, the total area of the arsenal reaches 368 hectares. Some 138,000 tons of shells are stored there. It is the largest military warehouse of Ukraine.
According to eyewitnesses of the incident, a tool was dropped from the aircraft, which may have led to the explosion. Due to the incident, shells scatter for one or two kilometers, the media noted.
At the scene, an operational headquarters is opened, 300 rescuers and 55 vehicles, including fire trains, are involved. Nevertheless, at the moment, the fire could not be localized, its area increased.
According to the Minister of Defence of Ukraine Stepan Poltorak, the cause of the fire at the ammunition depot became a diversion. He is sure that it is organized by either the Russian military or representatives of the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics.
The DPR and LPR rejected these accusations. Moreover, they assumed that the Ukrainian military set up an arson themselves to conceal signs of a possible shortage of ammunition due to the arms trade.
As a result of the explosions, two people were injured. About 35 thousand citizens live in the area of emergency, 20 thousand of which were evacuated to nearby settlements. 16,317 people were evacuated from Balakliia. In the Kharkiv region, 6 evacuation points were opened, where people who have been left without shelter are assisted.
In the region, electricity and gas are temporarily turned off, railway traffic is suspended.
Two criminal cases have been opened: of sabotage and negligence. Law enforcement agencies are conducting investigation. After the emergency, Ukraine also asked international organizations for help.
Economic inequality remains one of the most pressing issues in today's world. To measure the gap between the rich and the poor in each country, the Gini index is used. This coefficient reflects how income is distributed within a society: the closer the index is to 100, the greater the inequality. Let's explore which countries currently have the highest Gini index values
This year has been pivotal for Bitcoin, the world's leading cryptocurrency. One of the key milestones was the approval of Bitcoin spot ETFs by the US Securities and Exchange Commission. In April 2024, Bitcoin also experienced a halving event, which is typically seen as a positive development for the digital asset. This year, the cryptocurrency is up 57%, and analysts remain optimistic about its future. However, they highlight four key factors that could influence Bitcoin's trajectory, both for better and for worse
Analytical periodical US News and World Report has presented its ranking of the best countries in the world in terms of quality of life, based on a survey of nearly 17,000 people. The list considers factors such as economic and political stability, a strong labor market, income equality, family-friendliness, safety, the quality of education, and healthcare systems. Let's find out which countries made it to the top of this list.
