Diverging Opinions on Cause of Sasovo Explosion

This document is an intelligence report regarding a powerful explosion that occurred near the city of Sasovo in the Ryazan Oblast of the USSR at midnight on April 12, 1991. The blast caused significant damage to buildings, shattering windows and roofs throughout the area. While there were no reports of severe injuries, some residents suffered from shock or minor injuries from broken glass. Local authorities, including A. Rozhkov, the Chairman of the Sasovskiy Rayon Soviet, expressed uncertainty regarding the cause of the incident. Several theories were circulating among the population, including the detonation of munitions, a meteorite impact, or the involvement of a UFO, with some witnesses claiming to have seen a moving fiery sphere. Military personnel investigating the site suggested that the explosion might have been caused by 30 tonnes of ammonium nitrate fertilizer stored in the vicinity. However, the report notes that the cause remains a mystery, pending further analysis by specialists from the USSR Academy of Sciences. Notably, radiation levels in the area were found to be normal. The document concludes by noting the existence of a crater 1 kilometer from the city, measuring 28 meters in diameter and 4 meters in depth.