ULYANOVSK — President Dmitry Medvedev sacked several senior generals Tuesday over a series of explosions at an arms depot in central Russia this month, in which 10 people were killed.
Two people died when a chain of ammunition explosions ripped through the Navy arsenal in Ulyanovsk, 800 kilometers east of Moscow on Nov. 13. Eight more were killed at the depot 10 days later when shells exploded during a clear-up operation.
“Unfortunately, this was possible because of lack of control from the Defense Ministry leadership and criminal negligence by those responsible for destroying old ammunition at the depot,” Medvedev told reporters during a visit to Ulyanovsk.
He said he had dismissed from military service the heads of the Defense Ministry’s engineering and artillery departments and a deputy regional commander. He ordered Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov to sack the head of Depot 31, where the blasts took place.
“The quality of storing ammunition should be checked, and I order the defense minister to conduct a complete review. I give you one month,” Medvedev said, standing next to Serdyukov.
Serdyukov is aiming to reform the armed forces into a mobile force capable of fighting in modern conflicts.