Firefighters extinguish massive forest fire in Zhytomyr Oblast nature reserve after Russian attack

Firefighting operations lasted for four days, as strong gusts of wind pushed the flames across an area of approximately 25 hectares within the protected nature reserve.

To prevent the fire from spreading further, rescuers battled the flames along the eastern and southern edges of the hotspot. Simultaneously, forestry management employees created an internal parallel mineralized firebreak. Drones were deployed for reconnaissance and monitoring of the situation, SES stated.

Approximately 40 SES rescuers and forestry management staff worked at the scene. Ten pieces of equipment were also deployed, the agency concluded.

On June 15, Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov reported that Russian forces launched a strike on the city zoo.

SES later reported that several animals were killed as a result of the Russian shelling of the zoo.

"The Russians launched two drone strikes on the Shevchenkivskyi and Kholodnohirskyi districts of the city. As a result of a hit on the zoo's territory, a fire broke out in an enclosure, which was promptly liquidated by fire and rescue service units," the rescuers stated.

As the Kharkiv Oblast Prosecutor's Office later reported, 10 rabbits were killed as a result of the Russian UAV attack on the zoo.