A fertiliser plant in Russia’s Smolensk region was targeted in a drone attack by Ukraine, resulting in the death of seven individuals and injuring 10 others, as confirmed by Russian authorities on Wednesday. The plant, situated near the town of Dorogobuzh, is approximately 290 kilometers (180 miles) away from the Ukrainian border.
Social media circulated unverified images showing the plant ablaze with smoke rising into the night sky. Vasily Anokhin, the governor of the Smolensk region, described the attack on the civilian plant, PJSC Dorogobuzh, which manufactures nitrogen fertiliser, in a Telegram post.
The Russian Investigative Committee reported an updated casualty count of seven fatalities, making it one of the deadliest assaults on a Russian industrial facility during the ongoing conflict. Ukraine allegedly deployed around 30 drones armed with explosives, causing substantial destruction, according to their official statement.
Efforts by rescuers successfully contained the fires the following morning. Authorities are contemplating the evacuation of residents from the nearby village for their safety, Governor Anokhin disclosed.
In a separate development, Ukraine’s chief negotiator Rustem Umerov is scheduled to hold discussions with US envoy Steve Witkoff in Geneva today, as announced by Kyiv. This meeting precedes forthcoming trilateral talks involving Russia anticipated to take place in early March.
President Zelensky informed reporters, including those from AFP, that Umerov is set to meet with American negotiators Witkoff and Jared Kushner on the following day to prepare for the upcoming trilateral meeting with Russia.
Meanwhile, Ukraine’s ambassador Valeriy Zaluzhnyi disclosed that the first Ukrainian drone manufacturing plant has commenced operations in the United Kingdom. Zaluzhnyi praised Ukrspecsystems, established in 2014, for demonstrating the effectiveness of its drones on the front lines.
Acknowledging the challenging circumstances faced by Ukraine due to ongoing conflicts, Zaluzhnyi emphasized the strategic importance of expanding drone production capabilities to the UK. He clarified that this move does not diminish Ukraine’s focus but enhances collaborative efforts to bolster capabilities amid adversities.