Carelessness Causes Grenade Explosion in Russian Ammunition Storage: Three Soldiers Killed, 16 Injured

JAKARTA - An ammunition explosion caused by "careless" handling of grenades in Russia's Belgorod region on the border with Ukraine, killed three soldiers and injured 16 others, Russian news agencies reported on Sunday.

The explosion took place at a cultural center being reused by the Russian armed forces to store ammunition, the state news agency reported, citing local emergency services for the toll.

Eight other service personnel were still reported missing as of late Sunday, the Interfax news agency reported.

"As a result of the accidental detonation of a hand grenade by a sergeant in the hostel, a fire broke out. Sixteen soldiers, including the perpetrator, have been taken to hospital. Three others died," the local emergency services said in a statement. the statement quoted by the news agency, reported Reuters January 16.

Local official TASS news agency said "careless handling" of the grenade caused it to explode.

Meanwhile, Telegram channels 112 and Baza, which are linked to Russian law enforcement agencies, said the dead and injured were conscripts who were called up to fight in Ukraine under the mobilization effort.

The report did not say when the incident occurred.

The Belgorod Region borders northeastern Ukraine, where the city of Kharkiv has been the target of multiple Russian missile attacks since its invasion of Ukraine last February.

In October, a gunman opened fire on one of several military bases in the Belgorod region, killing 11 soldiers.

Storage of fuel and ammunition there was also shaken by explosions that Moscow said were Ukrainian attacks. Kyiv, without claiming responsibility, described them as "karma" for the Russian invasion.