Photo: EPA-EFE/RUSSIAN EMERGENCIES MINISTRY PRESS SERVICE
An explosion at a shopping mall in Vladikavkaz, the capital of the republic of North Ossetia in the North Caucasus, has killed one person and injured at least two more, state news agency TASS reported early on Wednesday, citing the Emergency Situations Ministry.
Having initially denied that the explosion was caused either by a Ukrainian drone attack or a gas leak, head of North Ossetia Sergey Menyaylo was forced to row back shortly afterwards, saying that the explosion and fire were caused by falling debris from a Ukrainian drone that had been shot down by local air defence systems.
Initial reports said an explosion thought to have been caused by a leak from a gas canister in a restaurant occurred at 8:30am local time on the top floor of the building, according to TASS. Locals said there was a smell of gas shortly before the explosion.
The resulting fire quickly covered an area of 800 square meters. The emergency services said that the shopping centre was closed when the explosion occurred, and that the dead and injured were staff members and passers-by.
Menyaylo said that a crisis centre had been set up at the shopping centre. Wreckage from the explosion damaged two cars in the car park.
The Russian Defence Ministry is yet to comment on the reported drone attack.
