A 16-year-old boy in Russia’s Sakha Republic (Yakutia) tragically lost his life after being crushed inside a tank showcased at a military exhibition featuring equipment seized during the conflict in Ukraine, authorities in Yakutsk reported on Tuesday.
Initial reports indicated that the teen was trapped under a heavy, movable metal part of the tank, according to Yakutsk Mayor Yevgeny Grigoryev.
Emergency responders and investigators were present at the location, as noted in a Telegram update from the mayor.
According to regional prosecutors, the boy, born in 2009, had accessed the tank through a lower hatch when one of the tank’s components fell on him, resulting in instant death.
The prosecutor’s office has initiated an investigation into potential safety breaches.
The Investigative Committee of Russia, the nation’s primary investigative authority, announced that it has opened a criminal case on suspicion of negligent homicide and has ordered a series of forensic assessments.
Authorities stated that the teenager died inside what they called a “technical exhibit” displayed at the venue.
Local media outlet SakhaDay reported that the boy and a 17-year-old companion had entered the tank through an opening in the engine compartment after a panel had been removed.
It is reported that the 16-year-old detached a support for the tank’s gun barrel, causing it to fall and fatally injure him.
The tragic incident occurred at the “Russia — My History” multimedia park, where a military hardware exhibition has been ongoing since November 2025.
The exhibition features what the organizers refer to as trophy equipment captured by Russian forces during the Ukraine conflict, including a U.S.-made Bradley armored vehicle and a Ukrainian armored personnel carrier.
The park’s director previously stated that Yakutsk is home to the only permanent display of captured military equipment in Russia outside of Moscow, providing a unique opportunity for the region to showcase such items on a long-term basis.
Grigoryev urged parents to supervise their children and prevent them from playing near “potentially dangerous objects,” and emphasized that safety inspections at public exhibitions would be evaluated.
