Tragic Explosion Claims Three Lives at Russian Chemical Plant in Bashkortostan

An explosion at a chemical plant in Russia’s Bashkortostan republic resulted in the deaths of three individuals, as announced by the regional leader on Saturday. The specifics regarding the cause of the explosion remain unclear.

The Avangard factory, situated in the city of Sterlitamak, is reported by Russian media to manufacture weaponry and ammunition used in Russia’s ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

This region was previously targeted by Ukrainian drones a month ago, which struck a major oil refinery.

Radiy Khabirov, the head of Bashkortostan, shared on Telegram that «a quite powerful explosion demolished one of the structures» at the chemical facility, leading to the fatalities of three women. He also mentioned that five other individuals were injured and required hospitalization, with two of them in critical condition.

Khabirov noted that the factory plays a significant role in fulfilling state assignments and deals with explosive materials. He added that experts were currently investigating the cause of the explosion.

On September 18, Ukrainian drones targeted an oil refinery in Bashkortostan operated by the state-controlled entity Gazprom, as part of an effort aimed at disrupting Russian energy revenues that support military activities.

At that time, Khabirov confirmed that two drones had impacted the refinery.