REUTERS

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Pavlo Klimkin, discussed with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg in Brussels the issue of protection of Ukraine's ammunition depots.

An unnamed NATO official confirmed the information to Deutsche Welle on Tuesday, October 16.

"NATO is ready to continue and consider further ways of supporting Ukraine’s efforts to ensure the protection of ammunition depots," the source said, according to a DW report delivered in Ukrainian.

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According to the official, the Alliance was already supporting Ukraine in this regard because Kyiv had asked for help back in 2017.

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"In 2018, a draft trust fund for managing protection of ammunition depots was approved. Funds were assigned to help Ukraine reach NATO standards in this aspect," the Alliance official said.

As UNIAN reported earlier, in the early hours of Tuesday, October 9, explosions rocked the ammo depot in Chernihiv region, causing a massive fire. More than 12,500 people were evacuated from adjacent areas and a 30km no-fly zone was set up, with the traffic on roads and railway also being suspended.

A demining operation is still ongoing.

Two criminal proceedings were launched, including into negligence and sabotage.