The UK's Ministry of Defence (MoD) has released its latest military update on the Ukraine war this morning.
It reports that on 7 February, social media posts highlighted an explosion at a Russian missile factory in central Russia.
Initial reports had suggested the explosion was due to worker error but later Russian state agency TASS reported it was due to the "planned tests" of rocket engines.
The ministry states it is unlikely Ukrainian aerial vehicles were involved in the explosion and notes this is at least the fifth unexplained military industrial factory explosion in four months.
"There is a realistic possibility the explosion is due to negligent handling and storing of highly volatile, combustible, and explosive materials," the ministry states.
It also adds that "senior political pressures to increase military industrial output targets" have "likely led to round-the-clock production and staff fatigue".
"Increased demands on production will highly likely result in greater number of industrial accidents in the future," the report adds.
