Drone Swarm Strikes Azot Chemical Plant in Novomoskovsk Amid Fires and Explosions in Lipetsk

Drone Assault Targets Azot Chemical Facility

According to ХВИЛЯ: In the early hours of October 28, a fleet of drones launched an attack on the Azot chemical plant located in Novomoskovsk, Tula region, igniting a fire. Azot operates under the EuroChem group and produces a range of chemical products including:

• ammonia
• ammonium nitrate
• urea
• methanol
• nitric acid
• and various other chemical substances

Since February 2022 until September 2024, this plant has supplied nearly 5,000 tons of nitric acid to the Sverdlov plant in Dzerzhinsk, Nizhny Novgorod region, where explosives such as hexogen and octogen are manufactured.

Previous Strikes and Regional Impact

This is not the first time Azot has been targeted by drone attacks. Earlier assaults took place on June 14 and 26, 2026, damaging one of the production workshops and causing harm to the ammonia production units. Additionally, on the same night of October 28, explosions were reported in Lipetsk, specifically near the Novolipetsk Steel plant and close to the local airfield.

Tula region’s governor, Dmitry Milyayev, confirmed the widespread drone offensive affecting the area. He reported damage to both apartment buildings and private homes in Novomoskovsk, alongside infrastructure within the surrounding industrial zone. In response, regional laboratories from the "Nature" institute and Rospotrebnadzor were dispatched to the city. The Russian Ministry of Defense stated that 531 drones were intercepted and shot down overnight.

These attacks on the Azot plant combined with the explosions in Lipetsk highlight an intensification of hostilities in the region. Facilities involved in chemical production like Azot play a crucial role not only in the civilian economy but also in military supply chains, making them strategic targets. The ongoing conflict appears to be escalating with increased strikes against critical industrial assets.

As tensions escalate in the region, the recent drone attacks on the Azot facility are part of a broader pattern of assaults targeting key industrial sites. For a deeper understanding of the implications behind these strikes and the ongoing situation surrounding the previous drone strikes on the Azot chemical plant, it is crucial to analyze the strategic significance of such facilities in the current conflict.