A massive explosion in the Russian Arctic has created a large crater near one of Vladimir Putin's key gas supply sites, raising concerns about energy security. The blast, which occurred in August 2024, tore apart a 'gas-dynamic heaving mound' on the Yamal peninsula, close to Gazprom's major gas fields.
Witnesses described a mushroom-shaped flame visible up to 18 miles away, with debris thrown more than 330 feet from the epicentre. The crater was discovered by indigenous reindeer herder Mayma Khudi, who later photographed the perfectly round hole in the tundra.
A study by the Russian Academy of Sciences revealed that the mound had swelled by an average of 16 inches per year between 2020 and 2024, adding over 5 feet of height before rupturing. This rate is significantly higher than the typical growth of natural permafrost mounds, which is half an inch to six inches annually.
Scientists found a hidden cavity extending about 52 feet below the surface, with a crater throat 21–22 feet wide. The explosion is the latest in a series of over 20 giant craters identified in northern-western Siberia since 2014, with at least 7,300 similar swollen mounds counted on the Yamal peninsula alone.
The crater, designated C23, is located only four miles from the Bovanenkovo gas field boundary and eight miles from the high-pressure Bovanenkovo–Ukhta pipeline. Researchers believe these mounds form when gas rises along fractures and accumulates under frozen ice caps, building pressure until they explode violently, sometimes igniting spontaneously.
The incident adds to Russia's energy woes, as successful Ukrainian drone attacks have disrupted oil supplies, causing long queues at petrol stations and soaring fuel prices. Scientists recommend monitoring mounds rising by around 16 inches per year as priority hazards using drones, satellites, and radar.
