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] 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 Armed Forces of Ukraine.^[6]

Events

References