Explosions at Soviet-era ammunition depots – Military expert explains

Old ammunition, poor oversight, major danger – Recurring problems at post-Soviet depots

Massive explosions and devastating accidents at military ammunition depots occur from time to time in hydrocarbon-rich former Soviet republics, as well as across the wider post-Soviet space, causing widespread public concern. While outdated ammunition stockpiles, deteriorating infrastructure and violations of safety regulations are often cited as the main causes of such tragedies, experts say deeper management problems may also lie behind them.

What factors play the most decisive role in causing these devastating explosions? What fundamental changes should post-Soviet countries make in the management of military ammunition depots to reduce these major risks?

Speaking to TodayPress TV, military expert Elxan Shikhaliyev said that problems arising in the storage of ammunition are caused by outdated infrastructure and management deficiencies reinforcing one another in a chain reaction.

The military expert listed the key factors contributing to explosions:

“In some post-Soviet countries, a significant portion of stockpiles consists of ammunition inherited from the Soviet era. Over the years, the physical and chemical properties of explosives, particularly certain components, may change. Therefore, it is important not simply to keep ammunition in storage, but to continuously assess its technical condition. The buildings, electrical systems and firefighting equipment at some depots established during the Soviet era do not meet modern standards. This can turn a minor incident into a large-scale disaster.”

The expert particularly emphasized that human factors and the inappropriate geographical location of ammunition depots can aggravate the consequences:

“One of the most serious problems is the approach of ‘Where should we store the old ammunition?’ Activities carried out by untrained personnel or in an overly routine manner, a formal approach to procedures and weakened oversight significantly increase risks. Another important issue is proximity to populated areas. Even if the initial cause of an explosion is eliminated, storing large quantities of ammunition near populated areas increases the scale of the consequences. Therefore, risk zoning and locating depots at a safe distance from residential areas are strategic issues.”

The expert said that post-Soviet countries need a comprehensive modernization program to eliminate these risks and outlined the necessary measures:

“First and foremost, all stockpiles should be inventoried and classified according to risk, while a separate budget should be allocated for the safe disposal of outdated ammunition. Fire safety, lightning protection and humidity control systems should be upgraded. At the same time, an independent audit mechanism and a digital monitoring system should be introduced. The location, quantity and technical category of stored ammunition should be tracked in real time.”

Concluding with his main assessment, Elxan Shikhaliyev also touched on the new opportunities in Azerbaijan’s liberated territories:

“It would be incorrect to view these incidents solely through the lens of ‘the ammunition is old, so it exploded.’ The correct model is: old ammunition + outdated infrastructure + poor inventory management + human factors + inadequate oversight = high risk. Therefore, the fundamental change should be a transition from the model of ‘building a depot’ to one of ‘managing the entire life cycle of ammunition.’ For Azerbaijan, meanwhile, the construction of new military infrastructure in the liberated territories presents a major opportunity to establish a modern and fully digitalized system that is completely different from the old Soviet model,” he concluded.

It should be recalled that explosions accompanied by a major fire occurred at an ammunition depot near the village of Nizami in the Goranboy district late on September 2, 2026. No injuries were reported.

Turkan Iskandarli