Ukraine’s Intelligence department is accusing Russia of planting mines at the Crimean Titan plant, Eastern Europe’s largest titanium dioxide plant, according to a Business Insider report. The department claims it observed Russian forces mining and evacuating the facility, which is located in Armyansk in northern Crimea. Russia annexed Crimea in 2014.
“Vast amounts” of ammonia are said to be stored at the facility for its refrigeration equipment. Should an explosion occur at the Titan plant, it would send some 200 mt of ammonia into the atmosphere, the department warned. According to a report by the Kyiv Post, other chemicals stored at the site include sulfuric acid, chlorine, and reagents.
Ukraine intelligence officials claim Russian forces started mining the Titan facility following the collapse of the Kakhovka Dam in southern Ukraine on June 6, which flooded neighboring towns and villages and is threatening the water supply to Crimea. Both Kyiv and Moscow have blamed each other for the dam breach.
Due to the disrupted water supply to the Armyansk region, the Titan plant can no longer operate even at minimum capacity, the Ukraine Intelligence department said. There were reports late this week that Russia is preparing to evacuate residents of Armyansk.
Located on the Isthmus of Perekop, which connects the Crimean Peninsula to mainland Ukraine, Armyansk and the adjacent rail switching station city Dzhankoi are a natural bottleneck to travel in or out of the peninsula.