The tail section of a wartime shell sent to be scrapped at a Krasnodar region military facility landed in a vegetable patch while its owner was digging potatoes, a news report said Tuesday.
The shell, which could date back to the 1940s and was meant to be destroyed at the Taskino army base, landed in the stunned gardener's patch Saturday after exploding during officers' attempts to destroy obsolete ammunition.
No casualties were reported in the incident.
"Out of tens of tons of old ammunition, only one explosive shell, apparently produced between the 1940s to 1960s, reacted inappropriately, its propeller separated and flew off," a representative for the Central Military District told Itar-Tass.
The representative clarified that the shell did not contain explosives and that military personnel had retrieved the errant shell.
Vladimir Dubetsky, the stunned gardener, told local media that he thought someone had let off a flare gun until he saw the shell land among his vegetables.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
