Ukraine struck one of Russia’s largest explosives factories
30 April 16:07
On the night of April 29–30, Ukrainian drones attacked Dzerzhinsk in the Nizhny Novgorod region, according to local residents. They reported hearing about 10 explosions in various parts of the city. Explosions were also heard in the southern and central parts of Kstovo, located near Nizhny Novgorod. Regional authorities have not officially commented on the attack, according to "Komersant Ukrainian", citing Russian propaganda media.
The target of the drones in Dzerzhinsk was the Y. M. Sverdlov Plant, according to an analysis of eyewitness videos and photos conducted by Astra. A column of smoke rose above the facility following the strike.
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The Sverdlov Plant in Dzerzhinsk is one of Russia’s largest manufacturers of explosives, with a history spanning more than 100 years. It is part of the country’s military-industrial complex and is of strategic importance. The plant is included on Kyiv’s sanctions list “for supporting actions that undermine or threaten the territorial integrity, sovereignty, and independence of Ukraine.” The facility has also been sanctioned by the U.S., the EU, the UK, Japan, and Switzerland. Ukrainian drones have previously attacked the plant. For instance, one of its workshops was damaged as a result of a strike in October 2024.
According to a report from the Russian Ministry of Defense, last night, air defense systems “intercepted and destroyed” 189 Ukrainian drones over Russian regions. Specifically, drones were spotted over the Astrakhan, Belgorod, Bryansk, Volgograd, Voronezh, Kursk, Lipetsk, Nizhny Novgorod, Rostov, Ryazan, Samara, Saratov, Tula, and Ulyanovsk regions.
Attacks on Russian Enterprises
Prior to this, the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) had concentrated their strikes on Russian chemical enterprises capable of supplying raw materials for weapons. On April 6, the Minudobrennya plant in Rososh, Voronezh Oblast, was attacked; on April 4, two chemical plants in Togliatti, Samara Oblast—Togliattikauchuk and KuibyshevAzot—were targeted.
On March 27, drones struck Apatit JSC, part of the Cherepovets chemical cluster of the PhosAgro group. On February 25, the Dorogobuzh plant in the Smolensk region was attacked. Seven people were killed. On February 17, drones struck the Metafrax Chemicals plant in the Perm Krai. On February 7, the largest chemical plant in the Tver Region was hit.
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