Fire in Moscow region, explosions at Dzerzhinsk explosives factory: where Russia has been blowing up and burning this week

Fire at Chkalovsky military airfield, drone downings, and explosions heard in St. Petersburg

• On Wednesday, October 16, a fire broke out in the administrative building of the Chkalovsky military airfield in Shchelkovo, Moscow region. According to the Moscow Times, the area of the fire at the military airfield in Shchelkovo is 1,000 square meters. The Russian Emergency Situations Ministry is working at the scene, and the fire has been assigned a 2nd degree of difficulty. "The fire broke out on the roof of an L-shaped building. The employees managed to evacuate in time, no one was injured," the statement said.

   

• Meanwhile, on the night of October 19, the Russian Ministry of Defense announced the alleged destruction of 16 drones over the territories of Rostov, Belgorod and Bryansk regions. According to them, a total of 16 drones were shot down by air defense systems that night. In particular, 13 drones were allegedly destroyed over the territory of Bryansk region, two over Rostov region and another drone over Belgorod region.

   

• On the morning of October 19, explosions were reported in St. Petersburg, Russia, followed by a partial power outage in the city. Residents of the Primorsky district began complaining about the outage around 7 a.m., with some experiencing flickering lights and others losing both power and water. Emergency services stated that a drone had been shot down in the area. However, Rosseti Lenenergo, the power company, attributed the disruption to a "technological malfunction on 110 kV equipment," despite the claims of a drone-related incident.

Attack on the Kremniy El plant in Bryansk region, explosions in Rostov-on-Don, and damage to explosives factory and military airfield in Russia

• On the night of October 19, drones reportedly attacked the Kremniy El plant in the Bryansk region of Russia, which produces components for Russian weapons. Local residents reported the attack, but authorities did not confirm it. In the morning, Bryansk Governor Aleksandr Bogomaz stated that Ukrainian drones had attacked the region, claiming that four drones were destroyed. He added that one drone crashed into a non-residential building but caused no injuries, with a fire being prevented through coordinated efforts. 

   

  The Astra Telegram channel highlighted that the Silicon El plant, another key target, is a major microelectronics manufacturer in Russia, with 94% of its products produced for the Russian Ministry of Defence in 2017.

   

• On the morning of Saturday, October 19, explosions and a fire were reported in Rostov-on-Don, Russia. Local sources shared footage showing smoke visible from various parts of the city. The fire occurred at one of the workshops in the industrial zone, though further details about the cause and damage were not immediately provided.

   

• On the night of October 20, Russian authorities claimed to have shot down 110 Ukrainian drones. Meanwhile, according to Ukraine's General Staff, Ukrainian drones successfully targeted key military sites in Russia. These included an explosives plant in Dzerzhinsk, Nizhny Novgorod region, and a military airfield in Lipetsk region. At the Lipetsk-2 airfield, which hosts Su-34, Su-35, and MiG-31 aircraft, Ukrainian forces hit ammunition depots, fuel storage, and military aircraft. The Dzerzhinsk plant, located 900 km from the Ukrainian border, produces chemicals for artillery and high-explosive bombs, with guided aerial bombs stored on-site.

   

  Russian Telegram channels, including Shot and Astra, cited local residents who reported powerful explosions and white smoke around the Sverdlov Plant in Dzerzhinsk. Eyewitnesses described about 10 explosions with intervals and sounds of gunfire. The local governor later reported that four firefighters were allegedly wounded in the attack.

   

• Earlier, Russia's Ministry of Defense reported that that night, air defense systems allegedly destroyed 43 drones over the territory of Kursk region, 27 over Lipetsk, 18 over Oryol, and 8 over Nizhny Novgorod. Another 7 drones were allegedly destroyed over the territory of Belgorod region, 6 over Bryansk region and one in the Moscow region. 

Expert opinions

British intelligence has named Ukraine's main targets in occupied Crimea. As the intelligence service reminded, the General Staff of Ukraine confirmed that on October 7, Ukraine struck an offshore oil terminal in Feodosia, Russian-occupied Crimea. Earlier, in March 2024, this terminal was also attacked by Ukrainian drones.

"Ukrainian attacks continue to incrementally degrade Russian military capabilities on the Crimean peninsula. Targets struck in 2024 have also included air defense systems, airfields, command centers, naval facilities, logistics sites and the Kerch Strait crossing," the British said.

Meanwhile, Russia has admitted that it has relocated the Russian Black Sea Fleet due to constant attacks by Ukrainian drones. The Russian-installed senator from Zaporizhzhia region, Dmitry Rogozin, admitted that the Russian Black Sea Fleet was forced to relocate due to constant attacks by Ukrainian drones. 

"If we look at the changes in weapon systems and combat methods during the special military operation (the term Russia uses to describe its war against Ukraine - ed.), the Black Sea Fleet serves as a prime example. It was essentially forced to relocate, as our large ships became prime targets for enemy unmanned boats," he said.

According to Dmytro Pletenchuk, a spokesman for the Ukrainian Navy, the Russian fleet can no longer influence the course of hostilities in Ukraine. According to him, Russia could move some units through inland waters, but will not do so, as "it cannot even manage the units they have left in the Black Sea, which is effectively paralysed in the Azov-Black Sea region."