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Watch Ukraine's Largest Munitions Depot Transformed Into Massive Fireball
The Drive ^ | March 24, 2017 | Tyler Rogoway

Posted on 03/24/2017 6:07:15 AM PDT by Freeport

Ukraine's largest munitions depot literally blew up yesterday, sending mushroom clouds rising and rockets flying in every direction. Most the city of Balakliya, around 20,000 people, were told to evacuate following the initial blasts, causing a chaotic exodus including gridlock traffic as secondary explosions continued to erupt at the nearby depot. At this time, no deaths have been attributed to the ongoing incident.

There has been a six mile exclusion zone established around the depot and a 31-mile radius no fly zone above it. Ukraine has called on NATO to help them deal with the runaway disaster. The government estimates the explosions could continue for days, and currently only about a third of the depot is effected—meaning much more material could light off if the fire continues to spread.

The facility stores multiple types of ammunition, including tank shells and artillery rockets, which can cook off and fly for miles, making containing the situation extremely hazardous. Reportedly, 128,000 tons of ammo is stored at the sprawling facility.

Many in Ukraine are pointing the finger at Russia or pro-Russian operatives as the cause for the initial blast, although there has been no hard evidence yet put forward to prove such an allegation. Some sources say soldiers guarding the base heard the sound of an airplane or drone before the explosion. The installation is located about 60 miles from the fighting in eastern Ukraine and supplies Ukrainian forces fighting there with ammunition. The BBC reports that the depot had been the target of an unsuccessful drone attack back in 2015.

(Excerpt) Read more at thedrive.com ...


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; Russia
KEYWORDS: munitions; ukraine; war
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To: Freeport

Oh, dear. Prayers.


21 posted on 03/24/2017 7:02:05 AM PDT by Bigg Red (The LORD of hosts is with us; our stronghold is the God of Jacob. Ps 46:12)
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To: drop 50 and fire for effect

Imagine cleaning up after this mess. Hundreds of tons of unexploded damaged ordnance scattered all over. Shudder.


22 posted on 03/24/2017 7:05:09 AM PDT by volunbeer (Clinton Cash = Proof of Corruption)
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To: drop 50 and fire for effect

Thank you for your service.


23 posted on 03/24/2017 7:05:42 AM PDT by Bigg Red (The LORD of hosts is with us; our stronghold is the God of Jacob. Ps 46:12)
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To: mountainlion

Thank you for your service.


24 posted on 03/24/2017 7:06:00 AM PDT by Bigg Red (The LORD of hosts is with us; our stronghold is the God of Jacob. Ps 46:12)
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To: volunbeer

Kinda reminescant of Long Binh ammo dump Feb 1 1968.


25 posted on 03/24/2017 7:08:08 AM PDT by redcatcherb412
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To: Alas Babylon!

lol.


26 posted on 03/24/2017 7:20:02 AM PDT by RedWulf (#purge the nevertrumpers)
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To: Freeport

27 posted on 03/24/2017 7:27:50 AM PDT by Dogbert41 (Jerusalem is the city of The Great King! Forgive my misspelling when on my tablet)
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To: Freeport

In 1970 I was in Qui Nhon, Vietnam. Some lucky VC mortar crew managed to get an 82mm mortar round into the ammo depot on the other side of the city from where I was.
That sucker exploded continuously for 2 days.


28 posted on 03/24/2017 7:29:28 AM PDT by BuffaloJack ("If you're going through Hell, keep going." Winston Churchill)
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To: Freeport

Hillary did it!


29 posted on 03/24/2017 7:29:29 AM PDT by DonkeyBonker (President Trump - Making America Great Again!)
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To: Freeport
Music to watch it by:

Boom Boom

I imagine we will replenish some of those munitions.

30 posted on 03/24/2017 7:33:42 AM PDT by Robert DeLong
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To: BuffaloJack

I don’t understand putting all your eggs in one basket.


31 posted on 03/24/2017 7:34:02 AM PDT by hoosierham (Freedom isn't free)
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To: mountainlion
when the ammo bunker I helped build went up at CuChi.

Sometimes the smarta** comments DON'T even need to be made. ;)

32 posted on 03/24/2017 7:37:28 AM PDT by mountn man (The Pleasure You Get From Life, Is Equal To The Attitude You Put Into It)
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To: BuffaloJack
Some lucky VC mortar crew managed to get an 82mm mortar round into the ammo depot on the other side of the city from where I was.
That sucker exploded continuously for 2 days

The mortar round?

33 posted on 03/24/2017 7:40:21 AM PDT by mountn man (The Pleasure You Get From Life, Is Equal To The Attitude You Put Into It)
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To: Freeport

Interesting that there just happened to be a drone filming this exact location at the time of the blast.


34 posted on 03/24/2017 7:54:52 AM PDT by Bloody Sam Roberts (Good judgement comes from experience. And experience? Well, that comes from poor judgement.)
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To: Bloody Sam Roberts

128,000 tons?????? How many potatoes would that have bought for the hungry people of the area?


35 posted on 03/24/2017 8:03:26 AM PDT by oldasrocks (rump)
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To: fella

While in AIT a group of us had a BBQ on a beautiful grassy hill at the back of our fort. That is until the M.P.s chased us away as it was the Ammunition dump.


36 posted on 03/24/2017 8:25:05 AM PDT by cotton (one way, one truth, the life.)
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To: redcatcherb412
Kinda reminescant of Long Binh ammo dump Feb 1 1968.

I think they got it in 1967 also.

37 posted on 03/24/2017 9:15:27 AM PDT by mountainlion (Live well for those that did not make it back.)
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To: oldasrocks

Priories... I wonder who manufacturered all them there 22 LONG rifle bullets? Ammo and ice cream only go around once. My guess Ole Soreass made money both ways make it blow it up etc etc. They do have guns that shoot potatoes. World NOT nice place.. And..Trump did it according to CNN.


38 posted on 03/24/2017 9:29:35 AM PDT by rusureitflies? (Not much to say, yet.)
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To: silverleaf

It looks like there was smoke before the big boom boom.

look at the east, before the “rocket” landed, the area was already smoking. ???

same in the upper left (NW) something is smoking.


39 posted on 03/24/2017 10:36:27 AM PDT by BarbM (President Trump. (no tag line needed))
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To: Squantos

Can you account for your whereabouts?

L


40 posted on 03/24/2017 10:40:13 AM PDT by Lurker (America burned the witch.)
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