Drone Attack Sparks Fire at Kamensky Combine Chemical Plant in Rostov Oblast

The Ukrainian Defense Forces reportedly struck the Kamensky Combine chemical plant in Rostov Oblast, Russia.

The strike is supported by an unusually strong heat signature detected at the facility by NASA’s FIRMS satellite monitoring system.

The heat signature appeared around the same time Rostov Oblast Governor Yuri Slyusar reported a Ukrainian drone attack on the region during the night of August 16.

More than 150 drones were reportedly destroyed over the region.

NASA’s FIRMS detected the thermal signature at 1:14 a.m. on August 16. It remained visible and expanded until 2:20 a.m.

According to the OSINT source VARTA, the Kamensky Combine is one of the largest chemical enterprises in southern Russia and is designated as a city-forming enterprise.

The plant is located at coordinates 48.29943029832428, 40.17984650497104, approximately 10–15 km from the Ukrainian state border.

Due to its proximity to Ukraine, the facility is within range of a significant number of weapons systems used by the Ukrainian Defense Forces.

The plant’s main activity is the production of military goods. The facility manufactures artillery shells, gunpowder, explosives, detonators, fuses, primers, precursors, and other ammunition components.

In addition to military products, the facility manufactures a wide range of chemical products, including plastics and synthetic resins, alcohols, phenols, and their derivatives.

The plant has previously been targeted by Ukrainian aircraft. On December 20, 2024, the Ukrainian Air Force attacked the facility with Storm Shadow cruise missiles.

At the time, analysts from the CyberBoroshno group published a satellite image showing critical damage to two buildings at the plant’s production site.