Explosion at Russia’s Avangard Plant in Bashkortostan: Eight Injured

In the evening of October 17, an explosion occurred in one of the workshops in the industrial zone of the Avangard plant in Sterlitamak (Republic of Bashkortostan).

Eyewitnesses reported that the smell of gunpowder spread in the city, and windows were smashed in nearby buildings. Thick smoke rose above the scene of the incident, which was visible from remote areas.

According to preliminary reports, eight people were injured. Three of them were pulled from the rubble.

According to the authorities, the building of the affected shop was heavily damaged and the workers were evacuated. The cause of the explosion is currently under investigation.

Sterlitamak’s mayor’s office officially confirmed the explosion, saying that “all services and departments are working at the scene.”

The head of Bashkortostan, Radiy Khabirov, said that the incident was being investigated, but no details have been released.

“Eight people were injured as a result of the incident in Sterlitamak.
Three of them were pulled out from the rubble and hospitalized in Sterlitamak city hospital.
One patient is in serious condition in intensive care, and two others are in moderate condition,” Khabirov wrote on his Telegram channel.

The Avangard plant is known as a defense-chemical enterprise: it produces weapons and ammunition, recycles explosives, and manufactures chemical products.

In 2024, Avangard was already subject to EU sanctions due to its connection to the state defense order.

According to the War & Sanctions website, the plant produces explosives, ammunition, and containers for state defense orders. It is also engaged in the utilization of military equipment, ammunition, ballistic missile solid propellants and pyroxylene powder.

“It is part of the Russian state corporation Rostec. It is represented on the Technodynamics commodity aggregator, an online platform that combines the products of the enterprises of the Technodynamics holding,” War & Sanctions reports.

Militarnyi also reported that the Ukrainian Defense Forces had struck a Russian oil refinery in Saratov on the night of October 16.