Blaze erupts at Russian bearing plant amid suspected Ukrainian drone attack

Published April 16th, 2025 - 03:30 GMT
Blaze erupts at Russian bearing plant amid suspected Ukrainian drone attack
This grab from a handout footage posted on May 4, 2023 on the official Telegram account of Krasnodar Krai governor Veniamin Kondratyev shows firefighters battling a blaze at an oil refinery in the southern Krasnodar region's Ilsky settlement. AFP
Highlights
Residents reported hearing a loud explosion before flames erupted, raising suspicions of a Ukrainian drone strike as the possible cause.

ALBAWABA—A massive fire broke out in the industrial zone near the Kursk Bearing Plant APZ-20 on Agregatnaya Street, engulfing a 1,000-square-meter rubber processing facility. 

Residents reported hearing a loud explosion before flames erupted, raising suspicions of a Ukrainian drone strike as the possible cause.

Footage shared by residents shows intense flames and thick smoke billowing from the plant, with many witnesses noting, “there was a bang at first.” 

Although the exact cause remains unconfirmed, several Russian Telegram channels suggest that the Kursk Bearing Plant, which reportedly manufactures components used in Russian military equipment, may have been targeted deliberately.

Emergency services, with 40 personnel and 13 firefighting units deployed to contain the blaze. Fortunately, there were no casualties reported. 

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