More than one square kilometer of land was damaged, “suggesting massive losses at a key strategic depot supplying Russia’s war in Ukraine,” the British Ministry of Defence noted.
On April 22, the Russian military’s 51st GRAU munitions arsenal near Kirzhach, in the Vladimir Oblast, approximately 50 miles east of Moscow, was rocked by several large explosions.
As a result of the explosions, the Russian military likely suffered a great loss of munitions. Most alarmingly for the Kremlin, the destruction of the ammunition dump was probably not the result of Ukrainian sabotage—but rather the result of ineptitude by its overseers.
How Did Russia Blow Up Its Own Ammo Dump?
“It is highly likely that poor weapons handling procedures alongside negligent storage of munitions resulted in this loss,” the British Ministry of Defence assessed in its latest intelligence estimate on the Ukrainian conflict. “This is in keeping with a longstanding trend of regularly evidenced Russian ineptitude with regards [to] the safe and proper handling of its own munitions.”
Subsequent satellite imagery revealed that a significant portion of the munitions depot was damaged in the explosions. Indeed, more than one square kilometer of land was damaged, “suggesting massive losses at a key strategic depot supplying Russia’s war in Ukraine,” the British Ministry of Defence noted.
The Ukrainian Center for Countering Disinformation claimed that the munitions depot held approximately 105,000 tons of munitions, including artillery rounds, ballistic missiles, small arms ammunition, and cruise missiles, among other munitions.
“Furthermore, fire-damaged, unstable, unexploded munitions may have landed outside of the facility, potentially posing danger to civilians in the vicinity,” the British Ministry of Defence stated.
In explaining the loss, the Russian Ministry of Defence claimed that a small fire at the depot grew, causing some munitions to detonate—which then triggered significant damage to the whole munitions depot.
“The 51st GRAU explosions likely resulted in the largest loss of Russian munitions caused by Russia’s own actions in the current conflict so far,” the British Ministry of Defence concluded.
Artillery Ammo Is Key to Russia’s War Effort
Notably, neither the Ukrainian military nor Kyiv’s intelligence services claimed responsibility for the incident. Ukraine has attacked ammunition depots inside Russia several times in the past—typically resulting in significant damage and loss of weapon systems—but has seen the value in avoiding taking credit for Russia’s own mistakes.
Normally, munitions depots, especially those that contain high-end ballistic and cruise missiles, are designed in a way that limits the damage from a potential enemy attack or natural disaster. Munitions are typically housed in underground bunkers that prevent detonation even if the surface is under attack. There are, of course, bunker-buster bombs designed to pierce through such defenses, but the facts here do not suggest such an attack, and the Ukrainian military likely does not have such capabilities.
The war in Ukraine is a war of attrition in both men and munitions. The side that can sustain high-tempo fighting the longest is the one more likely to prevail. During most parts of the conflict, the Russian military has managed to “outshoot” its Ukrainian adversary—sometimes by a lot. For example, at certain points in the war, the Ukrainian military would fire around 6,000 artillery shells a day, while the Russians would fire over 20,000 rounds in return. Losing munitions by ineptitude is sure to cost the Russian military on the battlefield—and repeated instances of such ineptitude help to explain why the Kremlin has turned to alternative sources of artillery supplies, notably North Korea.
About the Author: Stavros Atlamazoglou
Stavros Atlamazoglou is a seasoned defense journalist specializing in special operations and a Hellenic Army veteran (national service with the 575th Marine Battalion and Army HQ). He holds a BA from the Johns Hopkins University and an MA from the Johns Hopkins’ School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). His work has been featured in Business Insider, Sandboxx, and SOFREP.
Image: Shutterstock / studio mdf.
