The ammunition depot at Kalynivka, near Vinnytsia, Ukraine, underwent a series of explosions that started on the evening of September 26, 2017[1][2] and continued burning until September 30.[3] In 2021 the Prosecutor General announced that evidence confirmed sabotage.[4]
The Kalynivka ammunition depot is one of the largest arsenals of the Ukrainian military.[1]
Events[]
According to the Defense Minister, Stepan Poltorak, about 83,000 tons of ammunitions were stored at the site, about 63,000 tons of it usable consisting primarily of tank ammunition.[5] The explosions forced the temporary evacuation of about 24,000[6] or 30,000 people.[1] Air space was closed and trains diverted. There was damage to property in the area but no fatalities were reported.[5]
The cause of the explosions remained unclear, however, Ukraine's domestic intelligence believed the explosions to be an act of sabotage,[1] and a presidential advisor suggested that a drone may have started it.[1] The secretary of the Ukrainian Security and Defense Council, Oleksandr Turchynov, noted that the military arsenals have many safety violations.[6] Further, the personnel problems could have reduced security and vigilance.[6] It was also pointed out by Nadiya Savchenko, a Ukrainian politician and former military pilot, that depots may be used for illegal trading of arms; an explosion would destroy evidence.[citation needed] Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman indicated the need for a thorough investigation and opined "This is the arsenal of the Ukrainian army, and I think it was no accident that it was destroyed."[7] Ukraine’s State Emergency Service reported on September 30 that "uncontrolled explosions" and the fire had been halted.[3]
On October 2 Kalynivka's schools resumed their school year.[8]
The Kalynivka ammunition explosion was the second major explosion in 2017 of a Ukrainian ammunition depot. The earlier one took place in March at a depot at Balakliia near Kharkiv necessitating the evacuation of about 20,000 people.[1][2] The destruction at these two ammunition depots is reported to have reduced the combat capability of the Ukrainian military.[6]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Julia Mendel (September 27, 2017). "In Ukraine, a Huge Ammunition Depot Catches Fire". The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/27/world/europe/ukraine-ammunition-depot-explosion.html?mcubz=0.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Roland Oliphant, Charlotte Krol (September 27, 2017). "Huge explosion at Ukraine ammunition depot prompts mass evacuation". The Telegraph. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/09/27/fire-ukraine-ammunition-depot-prompts-mass-evacuation/.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Olena Goncharova (September 30, 2017). "Kalynivka ammunition depot blasts come to a halt, officials say". Kyiv Post. https://www.kyivpost.com/ukraine-politics/kalynivka-ammunition-depot-blasts-come-halt-officials-say.html.
- ↑ "Вибухи у Калинівці: генпрокурор каже, диверсія підтверджується" (in uk). 2021-09-27. https://www.pravda.com.ua/news/2021/09/27/7308537/.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 "Key facts about a fire in a military warehouse in Kalynivka". Ukraine Crisis Media Center. September 29, 2017. http://uacrisis.org/60903-key-facts-kalynivka.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 Natalia Zinets (September 28, 2017). "Ukraine says ammo depot explosions huge blow to combat capability". Reuters. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-ukraine-explosions/ukraine-says-ammo-depot-explosions-huge-blow-to-combat-capability-idUSKCN1C316Z.
- ↑ "Thousands evacuated after Ukraine arms depot blast". AlJazeera. September 27, 2017. http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/09/thousands-evacuated-ukraine-arms-depot-blast-170927182925024.html.
- ↑ Explosions at Kalynivka ammo depot cease – emergency service, UNIAN (3 October 2017)
The original article can be found at 2017 Kalynivka ammunition depot explosion and the edit history here.