A leak of phosgene gas occurred on Thursday in the town of Qiqihar in the Heilongjiang province some 400 kilometers (some 250 miles) from the Russian border. A local administration source in China said it was caused by a WWII ammunition explosion. Three people were killed after exposure to the gas.
Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin subsequently ordered that the Ministry of Emergency Situations monitor the environmental situation in the region and involve Defense Ministry resources if needed.
"We have carried out calculations on the basis of information provided by the Chinese side," said Valery Kosykh, at the Russian Hydro-Meteorological and Environmental Monitoring Service, going on to add that the gas posed no threat to Russia.
On Friday, a Russian emergencies ministry spokeswoman quoted Chinese authorities as saying the chemical leak was no threat to the environment.
The town of Qiqihar lies along the Nin River, a major tributary of the Songhua River, which flows into Russia.
