Ukrainian drones struck one of Russia’s largest chemical producers in the Perm region overnight, regional Governor Dmitry Makhonin said.
The Azot chemical plant, located in the city of Berezniki over 1,500 kilometers from the Ukrainian border, briefly halted operations but has since resumed, Makhonin wrote on Telegram.
He said there was no threat to the environment or to local residents and no casualties were reported. Emergency services were deployed to the site and an operational headquarters was set up.
Residents reported two loud explosions near the plant late Thursday evening, while video posted online appeared to show an eyewitness saying three drones were involved.
Azot is part of Uralchem, a holding controlled by billionaire Dmitry Mazepin.
The facility is Russia’s sole producer of higher aliphatic amines, sodium nitrate and crystalline sodium nitrite, and manufactures ammonium nitrate, liquid ammonia, urea, nitric acid and nitrite-nitrate salts.
Ammonium nitrate is widely used as fertilizer and is also a component in explosives.
The strike is the latest in a string of drone attacks on Russian chemical facilities.
Ukrainian forces hit the EuroChem Belorechensk fertilizer plant in the southern Krasnodar region on Sept. 25.
EuroChem plants in the Tula and Stavropol regions were also targeted earlier this year. Authorities reported minor damage at the Tula site, while the Stavropol plant suffered damage to a gas pipeline and acid tanks, injuring at least five people.
Ukraine’s military has said the targeted factories produce chemicals used in ammunition and rocket fuel.
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