"A huge fire tore through a shopping mall in Russia’s exclave of Kaliningrad, forcing around 140 people to evacuate as flames spread across over 1,000 square meters, authorities said.
The blaze erupted on Sunday at the “Giant” shopping center on Moskovsky Prospekt, a major avenue in Kaliningrad, with flames spreading rapidly across the façade and into several floors of the building.
Videos circulating on social media showed people fleeing the building via stairways, some carrying children, as thick smoke billowed from the structure.
A total of 75 firefighters and 15 vehicles were deployed to tackle the burning building, Russia’s Emergencies Ministry said, according to news agency Interfax. "
That site has the worse "do you consent" I've seen.
34
tweemetervijfApr 12, 2026
+45
Königsberg. Never forget.
45
xX609s-hartXxApr 12, 2026
+23
Forget it. It's been 80 years, the city is a run down post-Soviet ruin and when they offered to sell it back to Germany they refused.
23
sebglhpApr 13, 2026
+2
They've got plenty of post-Soviet ruin at home
2
StonedUser_211Apr 13, 2026
+1
Wikipaedia: It has been reported that during the negotiations on the Two-Plus-Four Treaty in the summer of 1990, Soviet Major General Geli Batenin allegedly offered Joachim von Arnim, head of the political section at the German Embassy, to negotiate on the issue of Kaliningrad, but that von Arnim rejected the offer.
(Link available in German only)
https://www.spiegel.de/politik/deutschland/wiedervereinigung-moskau-bot-verhandlungen-ueber-ostpreussen-an-a-695928.html
1
LeDorkkApr 12, 2026
+6
Jesus, smoke inhalation is no joke
6
kymriApr 12, 2026
+10
Yeah; it sounds like 'inhaling smoke and coughing' not 'inhaling superheated, toxic air and dying because your longs are cooked and ruined.
10
ManualPwModulatorApr 12, 2026
+10
Whatever makes those happy…
10
macross1984Apr 12, 2026
+13
No sprinkler system in place I guess. Or the mall was supposed have one but corruption...cough, cough. At least, there were no fatalities.
13
Specialist-Many-8432Apr 13, 2026
+2
140 people in a mall? That sounds like a small ass mall
2
IbrinsApr 13, 2026
+1
Ironic, since the cyrillic on top reads "GIANT"
1
Glum-Implement9857Apr 12, 2026
+7
Russians are well known for negligent smoking (it is more about areas near warzone, but overall they are much more careless on fire safety)
7
badger707_XXLApr 12, 2026
+3
ruzzian style fire drill...
3
raftsaApr 13, 2026
+1
GIANT is a brand name
It’s like a home-maker center….furniture and bathroom fittings, but also a grocery store, and it’s really not that big.
I can see there only being 140 people at any one time.
15 Comments