Photo: Moscow Time

MOSCOW, Oct 18, 2025 (BSS/AFP) - An explosion at a chemical plant in southern Russia has killed three people, the regional governor said Saturday without giving the cause of the blast.

The Avangard factory, located in the Bashkortostan region's Sterlitamak, produces weapons and ammunition for Russia's war in Ukraine, Russian media outlets reported.

Ukrainian drones targeting a major oil refinery hit the same region a month ago.

Bashkortostan's governor, Radiy Khabirov, said on Telegram on Saturday that "a pretty violent explosion destroyed one of the buildings" at the chemical factory site, killing three women.

He said another five people were wounded and hospitalised, two of them in serious condition.

The factory "carries out an important state-mandated mission" and "handles explosive materials", Khabirov said.

He said the cause of the blast was being evaluated by experts.

On September 18, Ukrainian drones hit the Bashkortostan oil refinery run by state-controlled giant Gazprom, as part of a Kiev counter-offensive targeting Russian energy revenues used to fund the military.

Khabirov at the time confirmed that two drones had hit the refinery.