Soldiers killed during Russian-Belarusian military exercise

The blast at Ashuluk firing range in Astrakhan region killed 6 military men: a platoon commander and 5 military conscripts.

12 more persons were injured, one of them is in extremely grave condition, according to the Emergency Situations Ministry, 3 more in a grave condition, and 6 in a moderately grave condition. Two servicemen had contusions. According to preliminary reports, ammunition unloaded by soldiers for disposition at one of the fields exploded.

RIA Novosti had been informed about that by an official representative of the Military Prosecutor-General’s Office of Russian.

“A platoon commander and 5 conscripts were killed,” he reported.

“According to preliminary reports, 120 mm ammunition exploded as it was unloaded to the ground from a truck,” the prosecutor’s office informs.

A criminal action was opened because of weapons safety rules violation.

It should be noted that the active phase of military exercises at the firing range Ashuluk are held jointly with the North-Western operative-tactical Air Force command and Air Defense Forces of Belarus.