Russian defense minister: Ukraine conflict rapidly deteriorating, trending towards 'uncontrolled escalation'

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu has warned that the situation in Ukraine is rapidly deteriorating and spiraling into "uncontrolled escalation,” as the conflict in the former Soviet republic drags on for the eighth month.

Shoigu raised the alarm in a phone conversation with his French counterpart, Sebastien Lecornu, on Sunday.

During the call, the Russian minister said Moscow has concerns Ukraine could use a "dirty bomb" in the conflict, without providing any evidence to support his warning that that Ukraine might use such a weapon.

"They discussed the situation in Ukraine, which is rapidly deteriorating," Shoigu was quoted as saying in a readout of the phone call published by the Russian Defense Ministry, adding, "It is trending towards further uncontrolled escalation."

Later on Sunday, the ministry said Shoigu held a separate phone call with his Turkish counterpart, Hulusi Akar, also conveying “concerns about possible provocations by Ukraine with the use of a dirty bomb.”

A so-called dirty bomb uses conventional explosives laced with radioactive material.

Russia: Ukraine depot destroyed with 100,000 tonnes of aviation fuel

Moreover, the Russian Defense Ministry said its forces destroyed a depot in central Ukraine that was storing over 100,000 tonnes of aviation fuel.

"A fuel depot was destroyed near the village of Smila in Cherkasy region, where more than 100,000 tones of aviation fuel for the Ukrainian air forces was stored," the ministry said.

It had announced a day earlier that Moscow’s troops repelled an attack by Ukraine in the southern region of Kherson, where Ukrainian forces have been advancing in recent weeks.

Russian forces repel Ukrainian offensive in Kherson

Russia has asked civilians to evacuate the city of Kherson in anticipation of a wider Ukrainian counteroffensive.

The ministry went on to say that Ukrainian forces pressed their offensive towards the areas of Piatykhatky, Suhanove, Sablukivka and Bezvodne, on the west bank of the Dnieper River. Russian forces also repelled attacks in Luhansk and Donetsk regions in eastern Ukraine.

The city of Kherson was the first key urban center to be captured by Russian troops after Moscow launched the military operation in Ukraine in February.

Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a “special military operation” in Ukraine on February 24, with the declared aim of “de-Nazifying” the former Soviet republic.

Since the onset of the war, the United States and its European allies have imposed waves of economic sanctions against Moscow while supplying large consignments of heavy weaponry to Kiev over Russian objections. Moscow has been critical of the weapons supplies to Kiev, warning that it will prolong the conflict.

Russian fighter jet crashes into Siberian home, two pilots killed

In another development on Sunday, a Russian military jet crashed into a residential building in the Siberian city of Irkutsk, killing the two pilots. This was the second such fatal incident in six days involving a Sukhoi fighter jet.

Following the incident, Irkutsk governor, Igor Kobzev, said in a post on Telegram that the plane crashed into a two-story house in the city. He also published a video showing firefighters clambering over the wreckage and directing jets of water at the still smoldering rubble.

According to Kobzev, no one on the ground was hurt during the incident. He said some 150 homes were left without power following the crash, adding it would be restored by the end of the day.

Russian officials said the plane was a Sukhoi Su-30 fighter on a test flight.

Russia's investigative committee said in a statement it had launched a criminal case over the incident.

This came after last Monday, a Sukhoi Su-34 crashed into an apartment block in the southern city of Yeysk, near Ukraine, killing at least 15 people.

Authorities said initial investigation of that disaster, in which the pilots ejected, pointed to a technical malfunction of the aircraft.

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