At about 8pm Wednesday night local time a massive blast shook the central Ukrainian city of Kropivnitsky in what is being initially described as a mystery explosion.

Conflicting Ukrainian social media accounts include city residents citing anywhere between four and up to nine blasts, with initial reports of an electrical blackout in the city.

Explosions shook Kropivnitsky in Ukraine at about 8pm local time, Image via Twitter

Among the locations where explosions and a fire were observed in Kropivnitsky, which is the administrative center of the Kirovohrad Oblast, was at a local gas station which may have held fuel storage tanks.

В Кропивницком взорвалась газовая заправка. Скорее всего есть жертвы((( pic.twitter.com/Z0R1Tw5tI3 — Евгений (@Evgeniusus) March 27, 2019

Emergency crews are said to be responding, and there are early reports of injuries, with locals noting on social media that initial blasts were so large a mushroom cloud appeared over the city.

Multiple videos uploaded online show explosions over the city reaching many stories high, unleashing fireballs that light up the whole area.

According to Europe-based independent journalist Sotiri Dimpinoudis, who uploaded multiple videos of the explosions:

Eyewitness reports are saying that a gas station with barrels have began exploding one by one at the city of Kropivnitsky in Ukraine, and that other parts of the city were explosions. Who exploded them has yet to be investigated.

#Update: Just in - Another video of the massive explosion at the city of #Kropivnitsky in #Ukraine. Video from Snapmaps. pic.twitter.com/jnDi0WdGjN — Sotiri Dimpinoudis ❁‏ (@sotiridi) March 27, 2019

Over the past few years a number of ammunition storage facilities have exploded in Ukraine, leading to unproven speculation that such instances could have something to do with the conflict with Russia.

Most unconfirmed social media sources at this point are saying Wednesday night's incident involved one or more gas stations and/or a fuel depot.

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