Over 70 DPR miners trapped underground after Ukrainian shelling causes blackouts

KYIV: Ukrainian shelling caused blackouts in two coal mines in the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) on Sunday, leaving at least 70 miners trapped underground, the DPR coal ministry said.

"As a result of yet another shelling of Donetsk by Ukrainian militants ... two coal facilities were left without electricity. The Skochinsky mine and the Abakumov mine of the Donetsk Coal Energy Company were left without electricity," the ministry said on Telegram.

At the time of the blackouts, there were 72 miners working underground at Skochinsky and five at Abakumov, according to preliminary estimates. A rescue operation will be launched for them, the DPR ministry said.