Explosion reported at an ammunition depot in Russia

16 November, 2023 A fire at a Russian military facility in Kotluban, November 16, 2023 A fire and a series of powerful explosions were recorded on the territory of a military unit in the Volgograd region. Local media reported on this.

On the night of November 16, at about 01:00 am, a fire broke out at the Russian Ministry of Defense facility near the village of Kotluban, 40 kilometers from Volgograd. According to local reports, the large-scale fire was followed by a series of powerful explosions. Local media published footage of powerful detonations, which may indicate the detonation of rocket and artillery ammunition.

The local government agencies and the regional administration have already confirmed the fire. However, no information was reported on the explosions.

Other footage from the scene captures explosions along with thick white smoke and other characteristic traces of ammunition detonation. The cause of the incident is not yet confirmed.

However, the Russian Defense Ministry has reported attempted attacks by Ukrainian drones in several regions of the Russian Federation. This facility has been attacked before. On September 7, a Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicle crashed near the same village, allegedly colliding with power lines.

The village of Kotluban, which houses the military unit on its outskirts, is more than 500 kilometers away from a possible launch site for drones from Ukrainian territory.

The location of the Russian settlement of Kotluban. Photo credits: Google Earth map

In addition to the drone strike, the possibility of using an agent network of the Ukrainian special services cannot be ruled out. As previously reported, on November 11, a facility of KB Mashinostroyeniya, the Russian manufacturer of missile weapons, in Kolomna near Moscow, was attacked by a drone.

The KB Mashinostroyeniya is a leading Russian manufacturer of missile weapons.

Its products are the Iskander SRBM and the Kinzhal ballistic missile.