Explosion at Ryazan gunpowder plant kills at least 23, injures over 150
At least 23 people were killed and more than 150 were injured in an explosion at the “Elastik” gunpowder plant in Russia’s Ryazan region as of Monday, and the facility sustained severe damage, Russian media reported, citing the Emergencies Ministry.
The blast occurred on the morning of August 15 at a plant that specializes in a broad range of defense products, including gunpowder, explosives, specialty chemicals and components for certain munitions.
According to official information, the explosion took place in a building where the nitration of trinitrotoluene (TNT) was underway. The ministry said buildings and structures over an area of 6,000 square meters were destroyed.
Four factory buildings — including a gunpowder warehouse — were completely destroyed, and seven more were damaged. In total, about 300 tons of gunpowder intended for artillery shells were lost, along with roughly 600 152mm rounds.
A preliminary cause cited in Russia is a violation of safety procedures. The Mash outlet reported that a munition detonated during operations.
This was not the first blast at the plant. A similar incident occurred in 2021, when 16 people were killed at the site, according to Russian media.