A powerful explosion at a Russian ammunition depot northeast of Moscow earlier this week injured three soldiers and one civilian, regional authorities told state media Thursday.Vladimir region Governor Alexander Avdeyev said the blast occurred Tuesday when shells detonated at a storage area of the depot, injuring four people.One soldier sustained moderate injuries and two others suffered minor wounds, while the fourth victim a civilian is being treated at a local hospital, the regional government told the state-run RIA Novosti news agency.
Two of the injured soldiers were hospitalized, and one is receiving outpatient care.Russias Defense Ministry said the explosion was caused by safety violations at the base, located about 75 kilometers (47 miles) northeast of Moscow.Earlier, authorities declared a local state of emergency in the Kirzhachsky district, home to the 51st arsenal of the Russian militarys main missile and artillery directorate.Ukrainian officials said the facility stored around 105,000 metric tons of munitions, including Iskander, Tochka-U and Kinzhal missiles.
Media reports dating back to 2009 cited a maximum capacity of 250,000 metric tons.On Wednesday, Governor Avdeyev said approximately 500 residents were relocated to temporary shelters amid an evacuation order.
Gas supplies were cut off to some 40 nearby villages, and 12 settlements remained under emergency orders.Emergency crews began assessing damage in the affected areas on Thursday, Avdeyev said.A similar incident at the depot in the summer of 2022 killed five people, and residents of a nearby village were evacuated after a drone strike last year.