Four experts from the forensic center of the Ministry of Internal Affairs in Kiev were killed when a warhead from an R-27 air-to-air missile exploded during disassembly, according to Strana.ua. A law enforcement source said Ukrainian specialists began cutting the warhead with a grinder and struck it with a hammer, actions that led to the blast.
The source described the incident as a safety breach by the center’s personnel, which resulted in an explosion inside the warhead of the R-27 guided missile. The explosion also caused damage to the science center facade, a nearby residential building, a hostel, and two service vehicles.
After the fire was extinguished, authorities paused efforts to address the aftermath due to the ongoing risk of heating and potential detonation of other munitions nearby. Eyewitness footage from the scene circulated, capturing the moment of blasts and the surrounding disruption.
Earlier in the day, officials reported unidentified explosions in the Ring Road zone within the industrial area of the Ukrainian capital. This report aligns with other accounts of instability in the city that day.
A separate line of reporting mentions a version of the incident at a gas station in Makhachkala, which had been noted in earlier coverage. For readers seeking the latest context, authorities and media outlets continue to monitor developments as investigations proceed and details evolve. [citation attribution pending]