Mykola Chechotkin, the head of the Ukrainian State Service on Emergency Situations, has explained the cause of the smoke in Kyiv, saying the situation is now gradually stabilizing.

"Air reconnaissance was conducted this morning […] No new epicenters of fires, including turf, were found. No considerable smoke has been registered around Kyiv," he told a briefing in Kyiv on Thursday.

Speaking about the smoke in Kyiv, Chechotkin said a forest fire has occurred in the park zone in the area of the village of Zazymya, Kyiv region, the day before and the fire had been contained on Wednesday evening. Rescuers are now pouring water on the territories and the smoldering trees.

"What caused the smoke in Kyiv? The most likely reason could be that the air temperature went down and humidity went up in the nighttime, and that in combination with burning product residues caused a natural phenomenon called a meteorological haze," Chechotkin said.

He said this haze is now gradually disappearing.