Fire erupts in draft office in Russia’s city of Kyzyl

A fire has erupted in the city draft office of the Russian city of Kyzyl, Tyva, press service of the Tyva Main Directorate of the Ministry of Emergency Situations reports.

The preliminary cause is careless handling of fire, the agency claims.

The directorate’s representative told media outlet Tayga.Info that the window opening of the building was ablaze at the moment that the first firemen arrived on scene. 

Telegram channel Shot reports, not citing any sources, that pieces of a bottle, a medical mask, and a cloth soaked in gasoline were found at the fire scene. 

According to the channel, a 60-year-old watchman reported that a window had caught fire at around 2AM. Two policemen were guarding the draft office building. It is claimed that the fire “was extinguished quickly”. 

Since the start of the “partial mobilisation”, people have started setting draft offices on fire more often. According to Novaya-Europe’s calculations, at least 21 draft offices have been set on fire since the mobilisation announcement. According to Mediazona, 54 military enlistment offices and administrative buildings have been set on fire since the start of the war in Ukraine.

On 30 September, representative of the General Staff of Russia’s Armed Forces Vladimir Tsimlyansky said that arson of draft offices would be considered a terror attack, the punishment for which is up to 15 years behind bars.