On 7 February, a powerful blast ripped through the Votkinsk Machine Building Plant military range outside Izhevsk, Russia. The plant manufactures missile engines and strategic ballistic missiles for the Topol-M and Iskander systems. Huge fires broke out following the blasts, locally visible for miles.
Frequent explosions at Russian military and weapons factories fueling Putin’s Ukraine invasion are believed to be caused by Ukrainian drones. Although Ukraine never officially claims responsibility for any specific attack, these explosions highlight Russian vulnerability and disrupt its military industry supporting the war effort.
Massive explosion rocks Russian plant producing ballistic missiles for Topol-M and Iskander systems near Izhevsk.
— Euromaidan Press (@EuromaidanPress) February 7, 2024
Russian state media insists blast occurred during routine "missile engine tests" ????
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No official statements have yet emerged. However, Russian state news agency TASS reported the explosion supposedly took place during “planned missile engine tests”.
The Votkinsk Plant lies just outside Izhevsk, a city 600 kilometers east of Moscow in Russia’s Udmurt Republic. It produces artillery and strategic ballistic missiles for Topol-M and Iskander complexes. Late last year, Votkinsk Plant released 19 state contracts related to manufacturing nuclear weapon components. The facility hosts a testing range on-site.
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