On April 23, 2025, space satellites used to monitor natural and man-made disasters recorded a huge red spot on the territory of military unit #11785 in the Kirzhach district of the Vladimir region, indicating a powerful thermal anomaly. According to analytical centers such as NASA's Fire Information for Resource Management System (FIRMS), this indicates a large-scale fire caused by a series of explosions of ammunition at the 51st arsenal of the Main Missile and Artillery Directorate (GRAU) of the Russian Ministry of Defense. The incident, which began in the afternoon of April 22, led to prolonged detonations, a fire, the evacuation of thousands of residents, and the introduction of a state of emergency (ES) in the area.

The red spot, displayed by satellite images in the infrared spectrum, covers an area of ​​several hectares, which confirms the significant scale of the fire. Experts note that a thermal anomaly of this size is typical for the combustion of a large number of explosives, including artillery shells, rockets for multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS) and components of anti-aircraft missile systems (SAM), stored at the arsenal. According to the Russian Defense Ministry, the cause of the emergency was a violation of safety regulations when handling ammunition, which provoked a detonation and subsequent fire in the warehouse. The area of ​​the arsenal, occupying 502 hectares, allows for the storage of up to 105 thousand tons of ammunition, which makes it one of the largest in Central Russia.

The fire, which lasted all night, was accompanied by secondary detonations, as evidenced by local residents' reports and videos on Telegram channels. The footage shows bright flashes, thick smoke in the shape of a mushroom, and sounds reminiscent of artillery shelling. Satellite data also recorded smoke emissions that spread for tens of kilometers, which caused residents of Kirzhach and Aleksandrov to complain about the smell of burning.

The incident had serious consequences for nearby settlements. The evacuation affected about 2000 people from seven settlements and villages - Barsovo, Mirny, Gribanovo, Khrapki, Pershino, Dubki and the Zvezdny garden association - as well as 12 dacha cooperatives. Residents were placed in temporary accommodation centers (TACs) in schools and cultural centers in Kirzhach and the village of Krasny Oktyabr. The TACs provide hot meals, medical care and psychologists. Vladimir Region Governor Alexander Avdeyev reported four victims: two were hospitalized in the Kirzhach hospital in satisfactory condition, one was hospitalized in Alexandrov in moderate condition, and the fourth is receiving outpatient treatment. The Telegram channel "112" clarified that one of the victims received a mine blast injury.