Explosions at Ukraine ammo depot 'possible sabotage', security services claim

More than 12,000 people have been evacuated after ammunition stored at a depot in northern Ukraine exploded and set off a huge fire, authorities said.

Security services said they were investigating "possible sabotage" after the incident on Tuesday at a depot near the village of Druzhba.

There was no information on any deaths after the explosions, but regional authorities said more than 60 people needed medical assistance for smoke inhalation.

The explosions and subsequent fire began around 3:30am local time at the Number Six depot.

Grey and white smoke billowed from the site after four blasts in different parts of the depot.

The deputy head of Ukraine's general staff, Rodion Tymoshenko, suggested the explosions could be the result of "sabotage".

Kiev forces have been fighting pro-Russian separatists in the east of the country since 2014 in a conflict that has killed more than 10,000 people.

President Petro Poroshenko called a meeting of the heads of security forces and promised to give residents all the necessary help.

"The main thing is to preserve people's lives. Whatever's destroyed, we will rebuild," his spokesman wrote on Facebook.

More than a hundred firefighters worked at the scene and the airspace in a 30km (18.6 mile) radius around the site was closed, as well as rail and road traffic.