'STRANGE ROAR' PRECEDES 'MYSTERIOUS BLAST' IN SASOVO

• Document Type: FOIA
• Keywords: UFO SPECIAL COLLECTION
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0005516243
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: June 24, 2015
• Document Release Date: January 31, 2011
• Case Number: F-2010-00651
• Publication Date: April 13, 1991

C00114231
INQUIRE=DOC14D
ITEM N4=00234782
EN'V'ELOPE
CDSN = LGX441 MCN = 91103/03011 TOR = 911030131
RTTL'ZYIN RUEKJCS2712 1030132-UUUU--RUEALGX.
ZNR UUUUU
IFEADER
R 130132Z APR 91
FM JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC
INFO RUEALGX/SAFE
R 121421Z APR 91
FM FBIS LONDON UK
TO RUCWAAA/FBIS RESTON VA
RUDPMAX/FAISA FT BRAGG NC
RUEBFGA/VOA WASH DC
RUEBHAA/STORAGE CENTER FBIS RESTON VA
RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHINGTON DC//INR/SEE/Sl//
RUEKJCS/DEFINTAGNCY WASH DC
RUEOACC/CDR PSYOPGP FT BRAGG NC//ASOF-POG-SB//
RUETIAV/MPC FT GEO G MEADE MD
RUFHVOA/VOA MUNICH GE
RUMJBP/FBIS OKINAWA JA
ACCT FBLD-EWDK
BT
CONTROLS
UNCLAS 3S/PMU/SU
BODY
COUNTRY: USSR
SUBJ: 'STRANGE ROAR' PRECEDES 'MYSTERIOUS BLAST' IN SASOVO
SOURCE: MOSCOW TASS IN ENGLISH 1303 GMT 12 APR 91
TEXT:
//((BY TASS CORRESPONDENT ANATOLIY KAKOVKIN))
((TEXT)) SASOVO, RYAZAN REGION IN CENTRAL RUSSIA APRIL 12 TASS --
A SHATTERING EXPLOSION SHOOK THIS SMALL TOWN IN THE HEART OF RUSSIA
SHORTLY AFTER MIDNIGHT TODAY, KNOCKING OUT MOST WINDOWS AND LEAVING
SOME LOCALS SLIGHTLY INJURED BY SPLINTERED GLASS.
ACCORDING TO EARLY REPORTS, NO-ONE WAS SERIOUSLY HURT BY THE
MYSTERIOUS BLAST, WHICH TOOK PLACE JUST OUTSIDE SASOVO IN THE RYAZAN
REGION AT 01:30.
THOSE LIVING IN HIGH-RISES FELT THE BUILDINGS ROCK HEAVILY AS IF
HIT BY AN EARTHQUAKE, BUT NO DAMAGE TYPICAL OF EARTH TREMORS WAS
REGISTERED.
THE EXPLOSION, PRECEDED BY A STRANGE ROAR, LEFT A HUGE CRATER IN
A FIELD 1.5 KILOMETERS FROM THE TOWN. THE CRATER IS 3.5 METERS DEEP
AND 28 METERS IN DIAMETER.
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EXPERTS FROM THE REGIONAL COMMISSION ON EMERGENCIES RUSHED TO THE
SITE TO EXPLORE IT AND TAKE GROUND AND ATMOSPHERIC SAMPLES. THEY
DID NOT, HOWEVER, DETECT ANY CHANGES IN EIT-r7'.r.R RADIATION LEVELS OR
THE CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF THE AIR.
THE MILITARY, FOR THEIR PART, REPORTED NO UNIDENTIFIED FLYING
OBJECTS OVER THE AREA.
THE UNUSUAL FORM OF THE CRATER, WHICH HAS A BIG BUMP RIGHT IN ITS
CENTRE, AS WELL AS LARGE CHUNKS OF EARTH REMAINING UNBROKEN ALMOST
RULE OUT THE POSSIBILITY OF A BOMB BLAST OR THE EXPLOSION OF AN
ARTILLERY SHELL, ACCORDING TO SASOVO MAYOR A. ROZHKOV.
HE TOLD TASS IN A TELEPHONE INTERVIEW THAT SCRAPS OF PAPER BAGS
FOUND NEARBY SUGGEST THAT SOME SALTPETER, WHICH CAN SELF-EXPLODE
UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES, MIGHT HAVE BEEN STORED IN THE FIELD AND
GONE UP IN THE AIR.
THE FINAL CONCLUSION IS EXPECTED FROM THE EMERGENCY TASK FORCE
INVESTIGATING THE BLAST.
ADM IN
(ENDALL) 12130 /0023Z APR
BT
UNCLASSIFIED