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Astrakhan court sentences officer to 3 years in fatal explosion case

Which resulted in the death of eight servicemen and serious injuries sustained by another three people

MOSCOW, September 26 (Itar-Tass) — The Astrakhan garrison military court on Wednesday sentenced an officer in the case over the death of eight servicemen in an explosion at the Ashuluk firing range to 3.5 years in a penal colony.

"Commander of the company responsible for elimination of retired ammunition Roman Ryazantsev was found guilty of negligence in the performance of his duties, which resulted in the death of two or more persons /Article 193, part 3 of Russia's penal code/," an official at the Prosecutor General's Office /PGO/ told Itar-Tass.

The explosion occurred on August 23, as the servicemen were unloading Grad salvo launcher missiles from an Ural truck to the ground. One projectile exploded when it was placed into the pit, and others detonated. Six servicemen were killed on the spot, and several others were injured. Later, two more servicemen died in hospital.

"The court ascertained that Ryazantsev, when unloading ammunition at the Ashuluk range in the Kharabalinsky district, Astrakhan region, violated safety requirements, which resulted in the death of eight servicemen and serious injuries sustained by another three people," the prosecutor said.