 C00114231
 INQUIRE=DOC14D
 ITEM N4=00234782
 EN'V'ELOPE
 CDSN = LGX441   MCN = 91103/03011   TOR = 911030131
 RTTL'ZYIN RUEKJCS2712 1030132-UUUU--RUEALGX.
 ZNR UUUUU
 IFEADER
 R 130132Z APR 91
 FM JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC
 INFO RUEALGX/SAFE
 R 121421Z APR 91
 FM FBIS LONDON UK
 TO RUCWAAA/FBIS RESTON VA
 RUDPMAX/FAISA FT BRAGG NC
 RUEBFGA/VOA WASH DC
 RUEBHAA/STORAGE CENTER FBIS RESTON VA
 RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHINGTON DC//INR/SEE/Sl//
 RUEKJCS/DEFINTAGNCY WASH DC
 RUEOACC/CDR PSYOPGP FT BRAGG NC//ASOF-POG-SB//
 RUETIAV/MPC FT GEO G MEADE MD
 RUFHVOA/VOA MUNICH GE
 RUMJBP/FBIS OKINAWA JA
 ACCT FBLD-EWDK
 BT
 CONTROLS
 UNCLAS 3S/PMU/SU
 BODY
 COUNTRY: USSR
 SUBJ:     'STRANGE ROAR' PRECEDES 'MYSTERIOUS BLAST' IN SASOVO
 SOURCE:   MOSCOW TASS IN ENGLISH 1303 GMT 12 APR 91
 TEXT:
 //((BY TASS CORRESPONDENT ANATOLIY KAKOVKIN))
 ((TEXT)) SASOVO, RYAZAN REGION IN CENTRAL RUSSIA APRIL 12 TASS --
 A SHATTERING EXPLOSION SHOOK THIS SMALL TOWN IN THE HEART OF RUSSIA
 SHORTLY AFTER MIDNIGHT TODAY, KNOCKING OUT MOST WINDOWS AND LEAVING
 SOME LOCALS SLIGHTLY INJURED BY SPLINTERED GLASS.
 ACCORDING TO EARLY REPORTS, NO-ONE WAS SERIOUSLY HURT BY THE
 MYSTERIOUS BLAST, WHICH TOOK PLACE JUST OUTSIDE SASOVO IN THE RYAZAN
 REGION AT 01:30.
 THOSE LIVING IN HIGH-RISES FELT THE BUILDINGS ROCK HEAVILY AS IF
 HIT BY AN EARTHQUAKE, BUT NO DAMAGE TYPICAL OF EARTH TREMORS WAS
 REGISTERED.
 THE EXPLOSION, PRECEDED BY A STRANGE ROAR, LEFT A HUGE CRATER IN
 A FIELD 1.5 KILOMETERS FROM THE TOWN.  THE CRATER IS 3.5 METERS DEEP
 AND 28 METERS IN DIAMETER.
 Approved TIP Relea7
 )ate ,,,_,,
 C00114231
 PAGE:0095
 EXPERTS FROM THE REGIONAL COMMISSION ON EMERGENCIES RUSHED TO THE
 SITE TO EXPLORE IT AND TAKE GROUND AND ATMOSPHERIC SAMPLES.  THEY
 DID NOT, HOWEVER, DETECT ANY CHANGES IN EIT-r7'.r.R RADIATION LEVELS OR
 THE CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF THE AIR.
 THE MILITARY, FOR THEIR PART, REPORTED NO UNIDENTIFIED FLYING
 OBJECTS OVER THE AREA.
 THE UNUSUAL FORM OF THE CRATER, WHICH HAS A BIG BUMP RIGHT IN ITS
 CENTRE, AS WELL AS LARGE CHUNKS OF EARTH REMAINING UNBROKEN ALMOST
 RULE OUT THE POSSIBILITY OF A BOMB BLAST OR THE EXPLOSION OF AN
 ARTILLERY SHELL, ACCORDING TO SASOVO MAYOR A. ROZHKOV.
 HE TOLD TASS IN A TELEPHONE INTERVIEW THAT SCRAPS OF PAPER BAGS
 FOUND NEARBY SUGGEST THAT SOME SALTPETER, WHICH CAN SELF-EXPLODE
 UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES, MIGHT HAVE BEEN STORED IN THE FIELD AND
 GONE UP IN THE AIR.
 THE FINAL CONCLUSION IS EXPECTED FROM THE EMERGENCY TASK FORCE
 INVESTIGATING THE BLAST.
 ADM IN
 (ENDALL) 12130                /0023Z APR
 BT
 UNCLASSIFIED

