This is the shocking moment part of a historic student dormitory - recognised as a cultural heritage site - collapses in a massive cloud of dust and debris.

Footage shows the five-storey building creaking before its outer wall suddenly gives way in Ufa, Russia, at around 10 pm on July 30.

Three people can be seen standing nearby, quickly stepping back as the upper floors crash to the ground, sending rubble and dust billowing into the street.

Local media reported that the building, located at 52a Kommunisticheskaya Street, was constructed between 1953 and 1958 to house around 200 students of the Bashkir Cooperative College.

Commissioned by the Bashpotrebsoyuz consumer union and built by Ufastroy, the dormitory was designed by architect Fyodorov and is considered a classic example of Stalinist-era neoclassical architecture.

Ownership was transferred to Bashpotrebsoyuz in 2006, and by 2010, the building was managed by the Cooperative College.

The structure was officially designated a 'discovered cultural heritage' site in 2017 due to its historical and architectural significance.

Although it was evacuated in 2024 due to safety concerns, it remained listed as a heritage site pending formal registration with the Unified State Register of Russian Cultural Monuments.

Prosecutors and heritage officials have launched an investigation to determine whether the collapse resulted from neglect by the owners and whether cultural preservation laws were violated.

The regional Emergencies Ministry said preliminary reports indicate no casualties.