Overview
- Regional governor Alexander Drosdenko said three bodies were recovered from the rubble and reported additional injuries.
- Rescue operations continued at the Sertolovo military base north of St. Petersburg, where people may still be trapped.
- The Russian Investigative Committee launched inquiries into suspected negligence and fire-safety violations.
- Witnesses reported a powerful blast audible for kilometers, while local outlets published images that AFP could not immediately verify.
- Coverage notes past Russian building collapses often linked to gas leaks and the wartime targeting of military sites since 2022, though no link has been established in this case.