Support The Moscow Times!

Czech Republic Asks Russia to Pay for 2014 Arms Blast

Prague blames Russian military intelligence for the deadly 2014 explosion at an ammunition depot on its soil. Omelka Josef / CTK / TASS

Authorities in the Czech Republic have asked Russia to pay compensation for damages caused by a deadly 2014 arms depot explosion, the Czech Foreign Ministry said Monday. 

Czech Deputy Foreign Minister Martin Smolek delivered the compensation claim to Russia's Ambassador to Prague Alexander Zmeyevskiy, the Czech Foreign Ministry said.  

The ministry's statement did not specify the amount of compensation Prague is seeking. The echo24.cz news website reported that the claim totals 650 million koruna, or 25.5 million euros.

Tensions spiraled between Russia and the Czech Republic this spring after Prague accused Russian military intelligence of being behind the 2014 explosion at an ammunition depot in the eastern village of Vrbětice that destroyed 50 tons of munitions and killed two workers.

In April, Prague expelled 18 Russian diplomats suspected of involvement in the blast, sparking tit-for-tat measures from Moscow, which expelled 20 Czech diplomats. 

Moscow, which denies involvement in the Vrbětice blast, also designated the Czech Republic as an "unfriendly state," capping the number of the Czech embassy staff.

"Deputy Minister Smolek informed the Russian Ambassador that the decree, issued by the Russian Government on April 23, 2021, and followed by the list of "unfriendly States" ... on May 13, 2021, constitutes a violation of international law," the Czech Foreign Ministry said Monday, adding that Smolek called for the decree to be revoked.

Bulgaria has also accused Russia of being responsible for ammunition and arms depot explosions on its soil in 2011, 2015 and 2020.

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview
Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy

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.

Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
paiment methods
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.

Read more