Russia is hit by second huge train explosion as Ukraine 'moves to block munitions supplied by Kim Jong Un'

A second oil train has exploded in Buryatia, deep inside Russia, in an evident Ukrainian secret services bid to block munitions from North Korea.

Yesterday it was revealed a train had exploded inside a nine-mile-long tunnel, the longest in Russia.

The line is used for munitions from North Korea to supply Vladimir Putin's invading forces in Ukraine, according to InformNapalm channel.

The channel added: 'The explosion incident allegedly occurred on the Itikit-Okushikan section of the East Siberian Railway in the Northern Railway Tunnel.

'It is located on the BAM (Baikal-Amur Mainline) and receives military supplies from the DPRK (North Korea).'

Kim Jong-un has supplied Putin with vast supplies of artillery shells and other munitions after the pair met in Vladivostok in September.

It is also on the main line for imports from China, said reports.

Dramatic footage from Russian news sites shows the carnage after the second explosion some 3,000 miles from the Ukrainian border in Siberia.

Ukrainian security sources had claimed the SBU secret service responsibility for the Severomuysky Tunnel explosion on Thursday.

Russian authorities have reported a number of attacks on transport infrastructure since it launched full-scale hostilities in Ukraine in February last year, occasionally pointing the finger at Kyiv.

'The Russians have fallen into the SBU's trap twice - another fuel train has exploded on the Baikal-Amur railway,' a source in Ukrainian law enforcement agencies said, referring to the SBU security services.

The source said the alleged attack on Friday was a follow-up to an initial explosion on Wednesday night involving a train transiting the remote region of Buryatia.

The second explosion on another train was reported 'in the same area'.

There was no immediate response from the Russian side to the latest incident, but Moscow confirmed a train crew earlier this week had spotted smoke in a fuel tank and called firefighters to the scene.

Russian business daily Kommersant on Friday cited sources as saying that investigators had opened a criminal probe into Wednesday's incident and that the fire on the train was likely caused by an unidentified explosive device.

'Russian special services should get used to the fact that our people are everywhere. Even in distant Buryatia,' the Ukrainian source said.

The source added that the second attack had targeted an alternative route for trains using the same railway - over the Chortov Bridge - also in Buryatia.

'This is exactly what the SBU was counting on: as the train was passing over this high 35-metre bridge, the explosive devices planted in it detonated.'

The Baikal-Amur railway is over 4,000 kilometres (2,500 miles) long and runs adjacent to the borders of China and Mongolia.

Russia earlier on Friday announced it had detained a dual Russian-Italian national for carrying out sabotage attacks on a railway and airbase, acting under the orders of Ukraine.

'Four tanker wagons from the train burned out, two more were damaged by fire,' reported Baza media outlet.

Fuel spread over an area of 1,600 square feet, it was stated.

The tunnel remains blocked from the first explosion which appears to have caused massive damage.

One account said the train comprised 50 tanker wagons - 41 with diesel and three with aviation fuel.

'As a result of the explosion, tanker wagon 16 at the head of the train burned out,' reported Baza.

Holes were found in two more tankers.

' After the explosion, it was possible to remove 14 tanks, but further transportation of the wagons is not yet possible.

'The explosion seriously damaged the rails, and the leaked fuel flooded them….

'Later, another train was blown up in the same area.'

A leaked internal email from Russian Railways stated: 'Attention EVERYONE!!!

'There was a terrorist attack in the Severomuysky tunnel!!!

'There are signs of explosions on the tankers….

'High alert mode has been introduced!!! Extra vigilance!!! Instruct all the employees!!!'

Russia initially claimed the tunnel explosion was caused by a 'short circuit'.

Last month Lt-Gen Kyrylo Budanov, Ukraine's military intelligence chief, said rockets in Kim's arsenal are suitable for the Grad anti-aircraft missile defence system, and some Russian tanks.

North Korea is capable of producing a significant number of artillery shells, since, unlike Russia, the Pyongyang regime has preserved facilities for serial weapons production.

According to Ukrainian intelligence, Russian military plants can satisfy seven per cent of the Russian army's needs for artillery shells.

'It's a question of how much the Koreans will be able to transfer quickly,' said Budanov.