On October 22, two explosions occurred at an industrial facility in the city of Kopeysk, a satellite city of Chelyabinsk Oblast, Russia. Chelyabinsk Governor Oleksiy Teksler confirmed the incident and initial casualties.
When the first explosion occurred, rescue forces quickly arrived at the scene, according to Teksler. However, a moment later, a second, stronger explosion occurred right at the center of the fire. Firefighters later controlled the fire.
Governor Texler confirmed that at least nine people were killed in the blast. 5 others were seriously injured and are being actively treated at medical facilities. Local authorities are also clarifying information about those reported missing at the scene.
Although Governor Texler did not name specific damaged businesses, local sources said the explosions may have occurred in the Plastmass military plant area.
Local media also reported that the shock waves from the second explosion were very strong, breaking the windows of many houses in the area.
Currently, law enforcement agencies are present at the scene, conducting an inspection and collecting evidence to determine the cause and circumstances of the explosion. Mr. texler said there was no threat to the city's residents or civilian facilities.
Regarding the cause, Governor Texler said that the theory of a drone attack has not been confirmed. Kopeysk is located in the Ural region, thousands of kilometers from the Ukrainian border, making the possibility of direct attacks by short- or medium-range drones very low. However, the possibility of a long-range drone attack or internal sabotage cannot be completely ruled out, especially when the target is a military factory.
Explosives and fires at industrial facilities, especially defense-related plants, have occurred on several occasions in Russia since the conflict in Ukraine began. Some cases are believed to be caused by accidents or violations of safety rules, while others are suspected to be caused by acts of sabotage. A thorough investigation will be needed to determine the real cause of the Kopeysk tragedy.
