An explosion on the grounds of a factory that makes optical equipment for Russia's security forces injured 56 people Wednesday north of Moscow, six of them severely, officials said.
The blast occurred at a warehouse storing fireworks but was on the grounds of the Zagorsk optics manufacturing plant, Andrei Vorobyov, the governor of the region surrounding the Russian capital, said.
Vorobyov said the company rented out the warehouse for storage, but he later claimed the plant itself was mostly producing pyrotechnics. He said the Zagorsk Optical-Mechanical Plant “has had nothing to do with optics or mechanics for a long time.”
The company's website says it still manufactures those products, as well as medical equipment. A 1995 report by the U.S. Department of Commerce described the factory as “a producer of precision optical equipment for the military.”
The explosion blew out nearby windows, damaged 38 apartment buildings and prompted the evacuation of the surrounding area, the regional governor said. Five people were feared trapped under rubble.
Emergency crews with sniffer dogs walked over the rubble of low brick buildings, video of the aftermath showed. Firefighters hosed down the mangled industrial wreckage.
Russian officials did not provide a suspected cause of the explosion, which produced a tall plume of black smoke and added to jitters over recent nighttime drone attacks on Moscow. Earlier, officials said Russian air defenses shot down two drones aimed at the capital overnight, and they accused Ukraine of an attempted attack.
Some Russian media reported that a drone attack caused the blast at the manufacturing plant site. Multiple Russian authorities, including Vorobyov and Russia’s Investigative Committee, denied that.
The Investigative Committee, Russia’s top law enforcement agency, said in a statement it has launched a criminal inquiry on charges of violating industrial safety requirements at hazardous production facilities.
Russian officials described the downed drones as Ukraine’s latest attempt to strike the Russian capital in an alleged campaign to unnerve Muscovites and take the war in Ukraine to Russia.
The drones were intercepted on their approach to Moscow and there were no casualties, Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said. The Russian Defense Ministry described the incident as a “terrorist attack.”
One of the drones came down in the Domodedovo district south of Moscow, and the other fell near the Minsk highway west of the city, according to Sobyanin. Moscow Domodedovo Airport is one of the Russian capital's busiest airports.
It wasn't clear where the drones were launched, and Ukrainian officials made no immediate comment. Ukraine usually neither confirms nor denies such attacks.
Flights were briefly halted at Moscow’s Vnukovo airport on July 30 and Aug. 1, when drones smashed into Moscow's business district after being jammed by air defenses in two separate incidents.
In May, Russian authorities accused Ukraine of attempting to attack the Kremlin with two drones in an effort to assassinate President Vladimir Putin. Recent drone attacks have aimed at targets from the Russian capital to the Russia-annexed Crimean Peninsula.
In another incident that caused alarm, Ukrainian media reported social media blogs as saying that a thick plume of smoke billowed over Sevastopol.
The Moscow-appointed governor of Sevastopol, Mikhail Razvozzhayev, said the smoke came from a “fleet training exercise” and urged local residents not to worry.
“Yes, the smell is unpleasant, but it is absolutely safe,” he said on Telegram. “Everything is calm in the city.”
Those incidents occurred against the backdrop of Ukraine’s ongoing counteroffensive, which Ukrainian and Western officials have warned will be a long slog against the Kremlin’s deeply entrenched forces.
Russia is pushing back against the Ukrainians in eastern areas, where tough battles are taking place, Hanna Maliar, Ukraine’s deputy defense minister, said Wednesday on her official Telegram channel.
“In some parts of the front-line multiple changes in position take place within a day,” she said.
She claimed that Ukraine’s efforts had achieved “partial success” in the south. She gave no details.
It wasn't possible to independently verify either side’s claims.
© Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
34 Comments
Rodney
These weapons come from NATO countries, so they should be sent to the ICC.
cleo
The weapons should be sent to the ICC? Pardon?
I take it you mean the people making/providing/using the weapons.
Targeting a military target in wartime is not a war crime.
a factory that makes optical equipment for Russia's security forces
Desert Tortoise
They make night vision equipment among other military hardware. It was formerly a munitions plant so who knows what might have been left lying around in a warehouse or store room on site.
lincolnman
A perfect example of why Ukraine is winning this war...
Putin gets angry and humiliated at his losses and attacks schools, shopping malls, and churches...
Zelensky targets key war-supporting infrastructure like bridges, logistics warehouses, and military factories...
It's just a matter of time before Putin is forced to admit defeat...
UChosePoorly
Things are not going to get any better for Russia until they leave Ukraine. Russia was at peace two years ago. Time to cut your losses and take your armies home, Russia.
Keep pounding, Ukraine! Destroy the invaders wherever they may be.
wallace
it is a war
wallace
Putin now calls it a war and anyone posting negative comments in Russia is subject to arrest.
For the first known time in public, Putin calls fighting in Ukraine a ‘war’
https://edition.cnn.com/2022/12/22/europe/putin-uses-word-war-fighting-ukraine-russia-intl-hnk/index.html
Strangerland
Bringing the war to where it belongs. There and the bridge.
Of course, if Moscow doesn't like it, they can make it all stop, tomorrow. Go home.
Blacklabel
why is it that every civilian target attacked by Ukraine gets a justifying explanation inserted by the media?
Next: “a hamburger shop, where a guy who might in the Russian military probably ate last month, was struck….”
Blacklabel
in all the articles these days. Translation: so that’s why we can lie every time in favor of Ukraine and as much as we want, cause our pro Ukraine narrative might be true!
We don’t really know, but it could have happened like we said it did! So we will just tell everyone what we want and hope they can’t disprove it.
fallaffel
What are you talking about? The Russian government says it wasn't an attack. Don't you believe them?
La vie douce
"A perfect example of why Ukraine is winning this war...It's just a matter of time before Putin is forced to admit defeat..."
Mondieu, incredible...even as the tone of reporting by CNN and other US media makes a rapid turn towards accepting the inevitable reality that UAF can not break through Russian defences, counter offensive didnt work and time for ceasefire negotioations is approching ...some are still pretending that Ukraine can win this and Putin will admit defeat. Quite the alternative reality bubble such individuals are living in. End to this war needs to be negotiated asap to save more lives being lost on both sides.
Strangerland
Is that what Ukraine is calling for?
garypen
Because they're not civilian targets? Just a wild guess.
Blacklabel
no I don’t believe them.
suddenly, you do?
Blacklabel
So were any of the 56 injured people military?
sunfunbun
Zing.
Blacklabel: Why are you so pro Putin and Russia on this issue? Ukraine, not Russia, were unilaterally attacked by Russia. Who's the bad guy here?
As an American, I'd think you'd support Ukraine, but then...MAGA and dems are all bad so Biden. Flimsy reasoning, for sure.
Blacklabel
I’m pro “civilians not being attacked or killed”. on both sides.
Blacklabel
It’s a military target! so say Ukraine lovers.
ok, then why is everyone that is killed or injured always a….civilian?
Strangerland
Because Russia invaded Ukraine.
La vie douce
"Is that what Ukraine is calling for?"
What are you calling for instead then, continuing an unwinnable war no matter how many more lives are lost?
Counter offensive is making no progress, in another month or so autumn rains will come and everything will get bogged down and become worse . Negotiations are coming regardless, the only queston is when and how many more lives need to be lost on all sides before ceasefire. Reality check is needed not more fighting rhetoric.
UChosePoorly
LVD - you are welcome to surrender part of your country and people to the Russians in an attempt to appease them. Maybe that will work. Ukraine will fight for her land and people and we will continue to support them against the invaders.
Eastman
It wasn't possible to independently verify either side’s claims.
This sentence should be on top of story,not at bottom of it.
Basics of journalism...someone need go back to...school?
So all in all talk is about something cant be independently verified.
Not important news like UA todays advances in meters,no info about that UA artillery shot down 100 russian missiles from 80 sent...NOTHING.
Maybe too hot for heroi?
Maybe they need get some new AC?
Volodymyr do you hear me?
Blacklabel
That doesn’t justify attacking and/or killing civilians.
it’s bad enough when Russia was doing it. Whether intentional or unintentional from debris from their drones/missiles being shot down.
Ukraine doing the same now? Time to shut this down, both sides have zero moral compass anymore.
wallace
Blacklabel
How many civilians have been killed by your country? Millions. You have no moral compass.
Strangerland
Do you also blame rape victims for how they dress?
Strangerland
It's a natural order. Invade a country, some of your citizens die. Don't want your citizens to die, don't invade a country.
Very simple logic, even for us MAGA. Except we know Ukraine should just surrender like we would in America, right my MAGA brother?
UChosePoorly
If and when the US invades the DPRK, I had better be hearing this neutral, peace-loving crew constantly asking for the DPRK to just surrender to the American invaders for the sake of lives and peace. That’s how this works, right?
wallace
Putin could end the war today.
Eastman
wallaceToday 12:07 pm JST
Putin could end the war today.
Volodymyr had good chance to make a deal with Russia in March - April 2022 but he have followed BoJo so here we are....
Strangerland
Putin could end the war every day since March, April 2022. And still can. But he is willing to let Russian people die for China's ambitions.
Eastman
StrangerlandToday 12:11 pm JST
Volodymyr had good chance to make a deal with Russia in March - April 2022 but he have followed BoJo so here we are....
Putin could end the war every day since March, April 2022. And still can. But he is willing to let Russian people die for China's ambitions.
WRONG.
UA citizens are dying in name of US interests since this local conflict is proxy war USA/NATO vs RU.Soil of UA is used as battlefield against RU.
UA wants peace-must talk with RU.UA wants continue in conflict-RU have no reason to stop baceuse of own security issues and russian national interests.
Kapishto?