Newsroom
Cyprus’ Defense Ministry and Police are on high alert following the disappearance of 13 kilograms (30 pounds) of TNT explosives during a military engineering exercise at the Kalo Chorio firing range.
According to Ministry spokesperson Christos Pieris, the explosives were set in three locations for a controlled exercise. The first two detonations occurred without issue, but the third failed to explode. Trainees waited the required hour per safety protocol before investigating and discovered the TNT was gone.
Authorities are now considering two possibilities: either an accidental detonation occurred alongside the earlier explosions, or the explosives were deliberately taken. An official investigation is underway.
TNT, short for trinitrotoluene, is a powerful military-grade explosive widely used in bombs, grenades, shells, and even in mining. Though it is generally stable and requires a detonator to explode, its disappearance raises serious safety and security concerns.
Officials stress that TNT is not the same as dynamite, and handling or theft of such material carries grave risks. Police are urging anyone with information to come forward immediately.
The incident has sent shockwaves through both defense and law enforcement circles, as missing military explosives, even in small amounts, pose a major public safety threat.
