Explosions and fire have hit an ammunition depot in Ukraine in a possible act of sabotage, officials say, leading to the evacuation of thousands of people.

About 12,000 people were moved from the area around the depot, about 176km north-east of the capital Kiev, emergency services say, with no casualties.

Deputy commander of the General Staff, Rodyon Tymoshenko, told a news conference the incident began with four explosions across the depot and the intensity of the blasts suggests that it was most probably sabotage.