Ammo & explosives cache found in Moscow basement, dozens evacuated

Law enforcement agents are outside a building in the south of Moscow where weapons and munitions were found. © Ramil Sitdikov / Sputnik

Over 100 residents have been evacuated from an apartment building in southwest Moscow after a cache of ammunition and explosives were discovered in its basement. The size of the cache is unknown.

“Earlier today, the staff of the Moscow police discovered a cache of ammunition in the basement of a house on Kulikov Street. Officers have cordoned off the area,” the Interior Ministry’s press office said, Interfax reported.

“Currently, we are conducting special investigative activities to find out who [has placed] the ammunition there,” a press service representative said.

Earlier, Interfax reported that over 100 people had been evacuated from the building, citing a source in law enforcement.

Meanwhile, RIA Novosti news agency reported that a demining robot has been delivered to the scene of the incident, along with a special box for the safe transportation of hazardous materials.

Quoting officers from the police cordon, RIA Novosti reported that some of the ammunition was expected to be demined in the basement, but this decision was later changed.

“After some examination, we made a decision to take part of the ammunition outside,” a source in law enforcement told RIA Novosti. The engineers from the demining team have already begun taking some of the ammunition from the basement.

According to Vesti, the operation is expected to be finished no earlier than Saturday morning.

Citing the same source, Interfax said that the arsenal belongs to a Moscow criminal gang, and was placed there in the 1990s.