Explosion at Russian Elastic Plant Destroyed Over 300 Tons of Gunpowder and 600 Shells

The explosion at the Russian powder and shell plant Elastic in the Ryazan region killed 28 people and injured more than one hundred and fifty others.

According to ASTRA, the examination confirmed the deaths of 28 people, and the rest of the bodies are being identified.

37 injured remain in hospitals in Ryazan and Moscow, and about 120 more are being treated on an outpatient basis.

The explosion occurred on August 15 at 10:41 a.m. local time.

After the detonation, a large-scale fire broke out and spread to three other buildings, including a warehouse with TDF-laden shells and the premises of the second production shop.

The factory specializes in the production of 152-mm artillery shells used in heavy artillery systems such as howitzers, cannons, and self-propelled guns.

According to the DniproOSINT analysts, the explosion resulted in the loss of about 300 tons of gunpowder for artillery shells and 600 152-mm shells.

The exact causes of the incident have not yet been established. The version of a process violation is being preliminarily considered.

This is not the first accident at this plant. In October 2021, an explosion occurred in the workshop of the private explosives manufacturer Razryad, killing 17 people.