Explosions rocked the 51st GRAU arsenal in Russia’s Vladimir region on April 22. Locals reported a fireball and a column of smoke.
According to Russian sources, loud explosions were heard near the village of Barsovo, where the 51st arsenal of the Main Missile and Artillery Directorate (GRAU) of the Russian Ministry of Defense is located. Preliminary reports suggest a blast followed by detonation occurred at the site.
Residents said they heard the sound of drones shortly before the explosions.
Evacuation has already been announced in nearby settlements, and access to Barsovo has been blocked. Locals say the detonation is still ongoing. A massive cloud of smoke is visible from across the Kirzhachsky district. Russia has declared a state of emergency in the region.
The 51st GRAU arsenal is one of the largest ammunition depots of the Russian Ministry of Defense. It is located in the Vladimir region, in the Kirzhachsky district, near the village of Barsovo, approximately 8 kilometers from the town of Kirzhach.
According to preliminary data, around 105,000 tons of munitions were stored there: artillery shells, MLRS rockets, air defense components, and tactical missiles such as the "Tochka-U."
According to analysts at Defense Express, the 51st GRAU arsenal in Russia’s Vladimir region had a projected capacity of 264,000 tons of various munitions and was protected by the most densely concentrated air defense system in Russia.
“Its approximate area was 3.5 square kilometers. And judging by the available footage shot by Russians, it is now possible to speak of this storage site in the past tense,” the outlet noted.
Experts believe, based on videos circulating online, that solid-fuel missiles—either anti-aircraft or ballistic—as well as rockets for multiple launch rocket systems detonated at the site.
Given the amount of weaponry stored there and its proximity—just 60 kilometers from the capital—this arsenal was a highly significant target. It is located east of Moscow near the town of Kirzhach, about 530 kilometers from the Ukrainian border.
According to Defense Express, the strike on the 51st GRAU arsenal can objectively be considered the most challenging, as it was heavily protected by Russian air defense systems.
"At the same time, Russia did not announce any threats of strikes by Ukrainian drones or missiles. So either other means were used, or the Russian air defense system missed the attack," the analysts concluded.
