Ukraine targets Putin-linked plant supplying explosives, hitting Russia’s war economy

Defense Express reports the information.

On the night of January 29, Ukraine’s Defense Forces launched another strike on Russia using a large number of long-range drones—Russians claimed over a hundred were involved. One of the targets was the Sibur-Kstovo plant, located next to the Lukoil-Nizhny Novgorodnefteorgsintez refinery in Kstovo, Nizhny Novgorod region.

While most Ukrainian sources identified the refinery as the target, Sibur-Kstovo itself reported being hit, confirming a fire and the evacuation of workers to a safe distance.

Distinguishing these facilities is difficult, as they form a single industrial complex. Sibur-Kstovo, which produces ethylene, propylene, benzene, and other hydrocarbon products, is deeply integrated into the refinery’s technological and production cycles.

However, this enterprise is not just another industrial facility—the entire Sibur corporation is one of Putin’s direct assets and part of the so-called "family fund." This was investigated by the Russian outlet The Insider, which highlights that the main owners of Sibur are Russian oligarchs often referred to as Putin’s “wallets”: Gennady Timchenko, Leonid Mikhelson, and relatives such as former son-in-law Kirill Shamalov.

The Sibur-Kstovo strike was not only significant because its operations directly enrich Putin and his inner circle, but also because Sibur is a key supplier of raw materials for explosives production.

According to the Russian opposition outlet Proekt, this company supplies materials to Russia's largest explosives manufacturer, the Sverdlov Plant in Dzerzhinsk, Nizhny Novgorod region, located just 50 km from Sibur-Kstovo. The plant is also reportedly Russia’s sole producer of octogen and hexogen, two key components used in military-grade explosives.