A huge and deadly fire is raging at a defense technology research center outside of Moscow, which has so far reportedly taken the lives of at least eight people (per BBC citing state media updates, though the casualty count is conflicting).

A building of the Platan Research Institute has been engulfed in flames, widespread social media videos show. It is located in the town of Fryazino in the Moscow region. Importantly, Platan develops radio-electronic systems for Russia’s Defense Ministry, raising suspicion that this could be the result of sabotage or covert attack connected to the war in Ukraine.

Governor Moscow oblast, Andrei Vorobyov, confirmed in a Monday statement that three floors of the building have been overwhelmed by flames. “The fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth floors are on fire,” Mash said Monday.

TASS has cited an eyewitness who saw two people tragically fall to their deaths after they jumped from a window trying to escape the flames and thick smoke. BBC writes:

There are conflicting reports about the building’s purpose. It once homed the Platan Research Institute and defence industry, according to Tass.

A statement to the agency from Ruselectronics, a Russia-owned electronics organisation, said the building has been privately owned since the 1990s. However, opposition media outlets recently reported that Platan was based in the building as late as 2023.

It is not immediately clear what caused the fire, but one eyewitness told Tass that it broke out on the sixth floor before spreading.

Russian media are awash with dramatic videos of a blaze inside a building associated with Platan Institute, a major producer of electronics for the Russian army. pic.twitter.com/ckBHPYmgtg

— Leonid Ragozin (@leonidragozin) June 24, 2024

Over 130 fire and emergency services personnel, two helicopters, and 50 vehicles are engaged in fighting the blaze, which has spread to a whopping 5,000 square meters.

“The fire area has increased to 5,000 square meters. The extinguishing operation is complicated by the presence of gas-air mix canisters inside the building. The firefighters continue working to eliminate the fire,” a statement given to TASS indicated.

Once again we are left with the question: accident or covert sabotage?

Stuff go boom in Germany, other stuff go boom in Russia. For some reason the press has struggled to connect the dots. https://t.co/0O5dczl9Pr

— Jack Murphy (@JackMurphyRGR) June 24, 2024

Local authorities have already announced a criminal case connected the deaths, possibly due to arson or else negligence. 

Platan Research Institute is among many defense ministry-linked firms currently under US-led sanctions.

In Moscow, the Platan research institute, which is affiliated with the Russian Armed Forces, was set on fire. 🔥

Some of the things this facility is known to be producing are components for nuclear weapons, as well as electronic warfare and air defense systems. pic.twitter.com/2RuM03n4ou

— Astraia Intel (@astraiaintel) June 24, 2024

We previously outlined recent mysterious industrial fires and possible sabotage incidents across Europe, the UK, and inside Russia… a trend which has left many observers speculating this could be part of an ongoing covert ‘dirty war’ in the shadows of the Ukraine conflict.