The death toll from a massive explosion at a gunpowder and ammunition plant near Moscow has climbed to 20, with more than 130 others reported injured, Russian authorities confirmed on Monday. The blast, which ripped through the Elastik factory in the Ryazan region on Friday, has raised fresh concerns over industrial safety in the country.
Initially, 11 fatalities were reported in the aftermath of the explosion, but officials later revised the figure upward as rescue operations continued. Local authorities said that of the 134 people injured, 31 remain hospitalised, while others sustained minor injuries. Monday was declared a regional day of mourning, though the authorities refrained from officially naming the plant involved.
The cause of the explosion is still under investigation. According to the 112 Telegram channel, which is closely linked to Russian law enforcement agencies, the blast may have been triggered by the accidental detonation of a shell. Russia’s Investigative Committee has since opened a criminal probe into suspected violations of industrial safety rules, suggesting that the explosion was not related to Ukrainian sabotage.
Since the start of the war in Ukraine in 2022, Kyiv has conducted a number of attacks and sabotage missions targeting Russian infrastructure and industry. However, workplace accidents remain a frequent occurrence in Russia, often attributed to mismanagement, outdated facilities, and lax safety standards.
This is not the first tragedy to strike the Elastik plant. In 2021, another blast killed 17 workers at the same facility. Following that incident, some members of the factory’s management were sentenced to prison over safety breaches. Despite those convictions, reports indicate that the factory had continued to receive warnings about labour and safety conditions.
Images released by Russia’s emergency ministry showed one of the factory halls completely reduced to rubble, while rescue teams searched through debris for possible survivors.
The latest disaster underscores Russia’s ongoing struggle with industrial safety, particularly in its defence-related industries, which have been operating at heightened capacity since the escalation of the war in Ukraine. Families of the victims, meanwhile, are left mourning yet another preventable tragedy.
