Panic In Russia: Key "Azot" Chemical Plant On Fire
- 28.10.2026, 8:38
On social media, people are comparing the situation to “Chernobyl.”
On the morning of October 28, in Novomoskovsk, Tula Oblast, Russia, local residents reported an attack on the Azot chemical plant. Following the alleged strike, a fire broke out on the plant’s grounds, as evidenced by footage published by the Telegram monitoring channels Exilenova+ and Supernova+.
Amid reports of an attack on the Azot chemical plant, claims have emerged regarding a possible ammonia leak. Online, the situation is already being compared to Chernobyl.
Why the Azot Chemical Plant Is Important for Russia
The Novomoskovsk-based Azot chemical plant in the Tula Region is one of Russia’s largest chemical enterprises and has been part of the EuroChem holding company since 2002. The plant produces ammonia, nitric acid, ammonium nitrate, urea, methanol, and other chemical products. These substances are used in the chemical industry, the production of mineral fertilizers, and other industrial processes.
At the same time, certain products manufactured by the plant are significant for the Russian military-industrial complex, as the chemical raw materials can be used in the manufacture of explosives and ammunition. In particular, nitric acid is an important component in the production of explosives. According to Ukrainian sources, Azot’s products were supplied to the Sverdlov Plant in Dzerzhinsk, which manufactures explosives. Therefore, the operations of the Novomoskovsk plant are significant not only for the Russian chemical industry but also for the supply chains of raw materials related to the production of military goods. At the same time, there is as yet no confirmation that the production facilities responsible for these supplies were specifically damaged during the October 28 attack.
It should be noted that the Novomoskovsk Azot chemical plant in the Tula Region has already been the target of drone attacks on multiple occasions.
For example, one of the most recent incidents occurred on the night of June 26, 2026. At that time, local residents reported explosions, smoke in the area around the plant, an unusual smell of ammonia, and power outages. The governor of the Tula Region Dmitry Milyaev confirmed damage to an industrial facility in Novomoskovsk and to a power line, although he did not initially specify the name of the plant.
In addition, on the night of June 14, drones attacked the same facility, after which a fire broke out there. Subsequently, satellite images confirmed damage on the grounds of the Azot plant in the Tula Region: one of the production buildings was destroyed, damage to ammonia production facilities was recorded, and a tank on the grounds of the old diluted nitric acid workshop was destroyed.
One of the first confirmed attacks occurred on the night of May 24, 2025. As a result of the strike, a fire broke out on the plant’s grounds, a gas pipeline was damaged, and three people were injured. At the same time, reports emerged of the evacuation of residents from the village of Hrytsivske, located near the plant. The head of the Center for Countering Disinformation at the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine Andriy Kovalenko stated that the plant may be involved in the production of goods for the Russian Federation’s military-industrial complex.