C00114231 UNCLASSIFIED INQUIRE =DOC 14D ITEM N0=00234782 PAGE: 0094 CDSN = LGX441 MCN « 91103/03011 TOR = 911030131 RTTUZYUV RUEKJCS2712 1030132-UUUU--RUEALGX. ZNR UUUUU HEADER R 130132Z APR 91 FM JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC INTO RUE ALGX/ SAFE R 12142 1Z APR 91 FM FBIS LONDON UK TO RUCVAAA/FBIS RESTON VA RUDPMAX/FAISA FT BRAGG NC RUEBFGA/VOA WASH DC RUE B HAA / STORAGE CENTER FBIS RESTON VA RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHINGTON DC//INR/SEE/SI// RUEK J C S / DEF I NT AGNCY WASH DC RUEOACC/CDR PSYOPGP FT BRAGG NC//ASOF -POG-SB// RUETIAV/MPC FT GEO G MEADE KD RUFHVOA/VOA MUNICH GE RUNJBP/FBZS OKINAWA JA ACCT FBLD-EWDK BT UNCLAS 3S/PMU/SU SERIAL: LD1204142191 BODY COUNTRY: USSR SUB J : ’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 BUST, WHICH TOOK PUCE 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 2B METERS IN DIAMETER. UNCLASSIFIED Approved fp Date —..■Si 1 C00114231 UNCLASSIFIED PAGE :00S5 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 EITHER 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. ADMIN (ENDALL) 12 13Oflj^^HH^Bp3/O023Z APR BT m # 2712 NNNN UNCLASSIFIED
Amiga789