A powerful explosion occurred on the territory of the Avangard plant in Sterlitamak, according to the company's CEO Dmitry Loginov, the head of Bashkiria Radiy Khabirov, and the city administration.
FKP "Avangard" specializes in the production of components for multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS), explosives, chemical products and wood products, and also disposes of weapons and military equipment.
The incident occurred on Saturday at 20:40 local time in one of the workshops where weapons and ammunition are produced under a state defense order. The workshop building was seriously damaged, and a pillar of smoke was visible from almost anywhere in the city.
According to preliminary data, three people were killed in the incident. Five more people were injured and remain in the hospital.
Eyewitnesses say that a bright glow appeared first, and a few seconds later a rumble thundered, after which windows were broken in neighboring buildings. Khabirov denied versions of external influence, such as a UAV attack: according to him, the explosion was internal, and the causes are being established by criminalists and experts.
A possible cause of the emergency is a violation of safety regulations. According to media reports, explosive vapors could have formed in the workshop due to errors in starting the equipment or violating the proportions of the mixture concentration.
The plant has previously faced tragedies: in August 2024, an explosion in the workshop led to the death of three people, and in August 2025, an incident occurred at the Bashkir Soda Company in Sterlitamak with 34 victims.
The Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation has opened a case after the explosion at the Avangard plant in Bashkiria.
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