Blasting operations held up in "Ashuluk" firing range, Astrakhan region

The Government of Astrakhan region and the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation reached an agreement of holding up blasting operations for utilization of ammunition in "Ashuluk" military firing range because of the residents' complaints of earthquake shocks.

Complaints of strange shocks were coming to different bodies of power of the region during a whole year. They were felt especially powerfully in the upper floors of dwelling houses in Babaevsky microdistrict, other dormitory areas of Astrakhan, the town of Narimanov and other settlements with multistory buildings.

After the residents' appeals the Government of the region decided to carry on experiments and check measurements which showed that the information of earthquake shocks was not exaggerated.

"Nobody can deny the results of technical expertise now, when it has been already carried out. The source of the shocks is the firing range. The time of blasting and blast wave was selected and all the vibrations which certainly frightened the people were registered", RIA "Novosti" quotes Governor of Astrakhan region Alexander Zhilkin.

According to the Governor, he sent a demand either to stop blasting or significantly reduce its power to a number of instances "in order not to blast 800 ton at once the way it is being done now".

The Governor added that the earthquakings created no direct danger for the population for "all the buildings are designed in project up to seven-point vibrations".

The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation decided to stop blasting at the firing range for no less than a month. The military will work out a new outline of annihilation of ammunition, "Interfax" reports.