Yevgeny Grigoryev, mayor of Yakutsk, the capital city of Russia's Sakha republic, reported a "tragic incident" at a military equipment exhibition at the "Russia - My History" multimedia park on 20/1. The incident resulted in the death of a 16-year-old local student.

"Preliminary investigation results indicate the child was crushed to death by a steel moving part of the tank," he stated. It remains unclear which specific internal tank component caused the accident, but such moving parts are typically associated with the turret.

The official advised parents not to let their children play near "potentially dangerous exhibits" at the exhibition. He added that safety protocols at public events would be reviewed.

Tank involved in the accident that killed a teenager in Yakutsk on 20/1. *Photo: Sakha Republic Prosecutor's Office*.

The regional prosecutor's office reported that the boy entered the tank through a bottom escape hatch and was crushed by a falling component. According to Russian media, the victim likely attempted to remove the gun barrel support, causing the part to collapse.

The Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation initiated a criminal case on suspicion of negligent homicide and ordered forensic examinations.

The military equipment exhibition at the "Russia - My History" park has been running since 11/2025. Among the displayed hardware are items seized by the Russian military during its operation in Ukraine, including a US-made M2 Bradley armored vehicle and armored personnel carriers. The specific model of the tank involved in the incident remains unknown.

According to the park director, Yakutsk is currently the only location outside Moscow with a long-term exhibition of war trophies from the operation in Ukraine.

By Pham Giang (According to Moscow Times, Izvestia)