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General Staff specified hardware that has been disposed of during planned destruction of explosive items at the arms depot in Balakliya have called it “the probable cause of the explosion.”
The surface-to-air missile “Kub” (Nato reporting name: SA-6 “Gainful”), had an engine inflamed which caused the explosion that claimed the lives of two sappers on Friday (Nov.15), General Staff reported.
“At 14:28, presumably in course of the loading of the ammunition and its elements, which were planned for further disposal, in particular, the solid-fuel engine of the 3M9 surface-to-air missile system “Kub” ignited, leading to the further eruption of the explosives stored for disposal,” the message stated.
Photo from Ukrinform-UATV
The real cause of Friday’s explosion remains uncertain until the final results by experts are determined the Head of the Military Prosecutors Office Anatoliy Matios said.
A random spark, an accidental eruption, or a safety hazard could have equally produced the blast.
“No evidence of the external activity or sabotage spotted. The question now is the real cause, as we investigate the criminal case and want to establish it,” Matios said.
A series of explosions hammered at the arms depot in Balakliya, Kharkiv region on Nov. 15. Promptly, the press office of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine stated the explosion occurred during the planned explosive ordnance disposal works at the depot.
The explosion at the Balakliya arms depot claimed the lives of two sappers, and injured five including one — severely.
