A series of explosions erupted overnight near the Smolensk aviation plant in Russia, a facility involved in the production of Kh‑59 missiles. The blast occurred after air raid sirens sounded due to a reported drone threat in the area, Telegram channels reported.

Smoke rises near Russian missile factory

According to Russian news Telegram channel Astra, local residents reported hearing explosions in the vicinity of the airfield where the Smolensk aviation plant is located.  Militarnyi noted that the factory is known for producing Kh‑59 air-to-surface missiles and components for Kh‑101 cruise missiles, which Russia uses in strikes on Ukrainian territory. A column of smoke rose shortly after the explosion.

A video filmed by a resident showed a visible trail in the sky resembling the launch of an anti-aircraft missile. OSINT investigator Blinzka, writing on X, conducted a geolocation analysis of the footage. The results pinpointed the operator’s location at 54.81031, 32.05208 and confirmed the direction of the recording.

The analysis indicated that the smoke plume was rising from the area of the aviation plant.

Previously targeted by Ukrainian forces

The Ukrainian Defense Forces had previously struck the same facility in January 2025. According to the Main Intelligence Directorate of Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense, that attack disrupted the production of various Kh‑59 air-to-surface missile modifications. A prior strike on the plant was also reported in November 2023.