Kiev preparing provocation with chlorine in Kharkov region: Russian MoD

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Ukrainian intelligence agencies are plotting to blow up a chlorine storage facility in Kharkov region, blaming Russia for civilian casualties, according to Russian Defense Ministry Spokesperson Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov.

"According to confirmed information, in the city of Pervomaiskyi, Kharkiv region, Ukrainian intelligence services are preparing a major provocation with the use of poisonous substances. On the territory of the Khimprom production association, SBU employees mined a storage facility with 120 tonnes of chlorine," Konashenkov said at a briefing.

He specified that "this storage is planned to be blown up to accuse Russia of allegedly creating a chemical disaster that caused the death of residents."

Ukraine preparing another provocation in Kharkov: Russia

In a separate context, Mikhail Mizintsev, the chief of Russia's National Defense Control Center, stated that Ukrainian nationalists attacked the Derhachi hamlet in Kharkov region, filming destruction and "many dead" residents to share the footage with Western media.

"Ukrainian nationalists fired at the settlement of Derhachi in the Kharkov region, after which they filmed the destroyed buildings and ‘many dead’ to share it with the Western media," Mizintsev told a briefing, adding that the "representatives of Western news agencies participated" in this incident.

The defense official went on to say that civilians were paid $25 each to take part in "manufactured filming".