A river flood has washed up part of an old military missile in the Altai region, depositing the five-by-two-meter hulk among other debris on a village street, a news report said.
Facebook user Sergei Ill posted a reported picture of the find online, saying that "this thing" washed up in the Malo-Ugrenevo village, and identifying it as part of a rocket, News 22 reported Sunday.
A deputy chief of the military research and production center "Altai," Nikolai Dochilov, said the missile was likely a relic of a nearby abandoned military facility that used to fill the missiles with fuel, the report said.
Missiles of this type were decommissioned in the early 1990s and their remains were mostly destroyed, but several unused sections were left behind and appropriated by local residents, Dochilov said, according to Itar-Tass.
The "Altai" center sent an expert to inspect the missile for safety, Dochilov said, adding that an "empty vessel presents absolutely no danger," Itar-Tass reported.
The missile's owner has already come forward to claim the military souvenir, the press service for the local Interior Ministry branch told Itar-Tass.
See also:
50,000 Hit by Flooding in Russia's Siberia
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.