Editor's note: This is a developing story and is being updated.
Five people have been killed and a further seven injured in a fire at a detention center in the city of Yakutsk, which houses Russian soldiers who deserted their units during Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Russian officials reported.
The fire broke out around 2 a.m. local time on Dec. 20, Sakha Republic military authorities said.
At least seven people have been hospitalized having suffered smoke inhalation. The identities of those killed is still being established, authorities said.
No information was immediately available as to the cause of the fire, or the extent of the damage caused.
The Kyiv Independent cannot independently verify details surrounding the incident.
Desertion rates during Russia's full-scale invasion remain relatively high amid Russia's mounting casualty rates. Although up-to-date statistics on desertion are not readily available, the Russian independent media outlet Mediazona reported in April 2024 that Russian courts had received over 8,200 cases related to mobilization since the start of the war.
Yakutsk is located in Russia's far-east, and is located about 450 km south of the arctic circle. Given the region's harsh weather conditions, Yakutsk and its surrounding region served as a key location for housing political prisoners during the rule of Joseph Stalin in the Soviet Union.
The Kyiv Independent news desk
(Updated: )
