Explosion on a Belgorod base A sergeant grabbed a hand grenade, allegedly to gain authority among draftees

Three people have been killed and 16 wounded, according to the latest tally, by ammunition detonating at a Russian base at the Tonenkoye farm, in the Korochansky district of the Belgorod region. Interfax reports, citing emergency services, that an additional eight people are missing.

According to online newspaper Mash, the incident took place at 4:50 am Moscow time on January 14. The explosion occurred in a former cultural center, where Russian troops were stationed. Emergency services told Interfax that a sergeant (other sources say he is a senior sergeant) accidentally detonated a hand grenade in the building’s sleeping quarters, which then caused the platoon’s ammunition to explode, and started a fire. 

The Telegram channel 112 writes that after the grenade exploded inside the building, “ammunition located in the weapons storage room detonated.” The fire, according to 112, grew to 450 square meters (around 4,843 square feet). The soldier who caused the explosion survived and has been hospitalized. 15 people were evacuated from neighboring buildings, though no local residents were injured.

Online publication Baza claims that a service member from the Sverdlovsk region set off the explosion (the publication did not specify his name), and that all of those injured and killed in the explosion were draftees. “According to preliminary information, the service member grabbed an RGD-5 grenade to gain authority in front of his subordinates,” Baza writes.

According to Telegram channel 112, a criminal case has been opened, though it’s not clear what the charges are. The Ren television network reported that the Tonenkoye farm had been cordoned off, and journalists were not allowed in the area.