Explosions Rock Rubber Plant in Russia’s Tula

A major fire broke out at the Yefremov Synthetic Rubber Plant in Russia’s Tula region in the early hours of Wednesday, Dec. 24.

NASA’s Fire Information for Resource Management System (FIRMS) registered a hotspot in the area where the factory is located. Ukraine’s General Staff later confirmed that it launched an attack against the facility. 

Russia’s independent outlet Astra, citing local reports, reported explosions before 4 a.m., with footage showing fire trucks heading towards the plant.

Supernova+, another Russian channel, said locals “heard 10 explosions” at around 3:11 a.m. and shared a video that depicts explosions audible in the background from an unknown location.

It then shared a photo that shows the orange flames visible from the horizon.

In subsequent footage, a bright orange glow could be seen from where the factory is presumably located, with occasional flashes.

Astra later geolocated the building from which one of the videos was filmed and confirmed that to be the Yefremov Synthetic Rubber Plant located in the town of Yefremov in the Tula region.

Tula Regional Governor Dmitry Milyaev later said drones were shot down in the region and confirmed a fire broke out “on the premises of a business.” However, he did not link the fire to the drone attack.

“Russian Ministry of Defense air defense units destroyed 12 more Ukrainian drones. While repelling the air attack, drone debris damaged the facade and windows of a private home in Greater Tula,” Milyaev wrote in a Telegram update.

“A fire also broke out on the premises of a business in the Tula region. The fire has now been contained. There are no injuries,” he added.

At 1:43 p.m., Ukraine’s General Staff confirmed that it launched an attack against the plant, saying the facility forms part of Russia’s military supply chain for “plastic explosives and solid rocket fuel.”

“In the city of Yefremov, Tula region, the facilities of the ‘Yefremov Synthetic Rubber Plant,’ which specializes in the production of components for plastic explosives and solid rocket fuel, were hit. Explosions and a large-scale fire were recorded on the production site,” the update says. 

Russia’s defense ministry said it downed 172 Ukrainian drones overnight, including 12 over the Tula region. According to the ministry, most of the drones – 110 – were intercepted in the Belgorod region bordering Ukraine, while four were shot down over the Moscow region, including two reportedly en route to the capital.

According to the rubber plant’s site, the plant produces a wide range of synthetic rubber and polymer products, including high- and low-molecular-weight polyisobutylene, specialty thickening additives, various grades of low-molecular-weight butadiene and isoprene rubbers, hydroxyl-terminated polybutadienes, composite materials, and other highly reactive polymer compounds for industrial use.

The products are building blocks for modern rubber, adhesive, lubricant, coating, and composite systems – many of which are also used in military applications.