Drones Slam Strategic Russian Explosives Factory in Russia’s Deep Rear

Drones struck a major explosives manufacturing facility in Russia’s city of Dzerzhinsk, triggering a series of explosions, according to Russian media outlet ASTRA on April 30.

Local residents reported hearing multiple blasts overnight, sharing videos and accounts on social media as the incident unfolded.

An open-source analysis conducted by ASTRA of eyewitness footage indicated that smoke was rising from the direction of the Sverdlov Plant, one of Russia’s largest producers of explosives.

Investigators determined that the footage was recorded from approximately 2.5 kilometers (about 1.5 miles) away, in the Komsomolsky district, offering a vantage point toward the industrial site.

Despite the visual evidence, ASTRA noted that it remains unclear what exactly was burning following the reported drone strike.

The Sverdlov plant is a key component of Russia’s military-industrial base, with more than a century of history. The facility produces explosives used in artillery shells and high-explosive aerial bombs, making it strategically significant.

The plant has been sanctioned by Ukraine for “supporting actions that undermine or threaten the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of the country.”

It was also added to the European Union sanctions lists in June 2023 and is currently under restrictions imposed by the US, the United Kingdom, Japan, and Switzerland.

Earlier, long-range drones targeted Russia’s oil infrastructure, striking an oil refinery in the Orenburg region and a key pipeline facility in the Perm region.

The attack in the Orenburg region hit the Orsknefteorgsintez refinery—one of the largest oil processing facilities in the area.

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