Explosions Rock Russian Town, Fire Erupts as Drones Reportedly Hit Explosives Factory

A series of explosions in the town of Kotovsk in Russia’s Tambov region early on June 11, with reports suggesting that strike drones targeted the Tambov gunpowder factory, which manufactures propellant forvarious types of ammunition used  by the Russian Armed Forced.

The area lies approximately 350 kilometers (219 miles) from the Ukrainian border.

Ukrainian defense sources previously reported in 2024 that the site produced propellant for small arms and had been targeted by drone attacks in January 2024 and November 2023.

Another drone strike hit the facility in July 2024, with Kyiv Post sources in Ukraine’s military intelligence (HUR) confirming the agency was behind the attack.

Several Ukrainian mainstream and social media outlets shared a video claiming to show the aftermath of a drone strike on the Tambov facility on July 5, 2024.

However, fact-checking by Kyiv Post revealed that one widely shared video was fake – it actually showed a 2018 explosion at the Avangard factory in Gatchyna, Russia.

Yet another attack was reported to have occurred this January.

Local Telegram channel Tambov.Incidents reported around 10 explosions over Kotovsk, claiming that air defense systems had intercepted drones attempting to strike the town.

The Baza Telegram channel reported that strike drones had specifically targeted the gunpowder factory.

Other Topics of Interest

Lavrov Demands Russian Language Rights as Core Condition for Peace

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov announced that the full restoration of rights to Russian-speaking populations in Ukraine remains a non-negotiable condition for any long-term settlement of the war. Speaking on Saturday during a video address marking Russian Language Day, Lavrov reiterated Moscow’s long-standing accusations of systematic language discrimination and “Russophobia” by Kyiv – claims that served as primary justifications for the 2022 full-scale invasion.

The acting Governor of the Tambov region, Yevgeny Pervyshov, referring to this latest attack on Telegram that a “massive UAV attack by the Ukrainian regime” on Kotovsk was repelled in the early morning hours.

“As a result of the fall of one of the downed UAVs, a fire broke out, which was extinguished by fire crews. There were no casualties. Law enforcement is working at the scene,” he wrote, without directly mentioning the gunpowder plant.

He added that “the situation is under control.”

The Tambov gunpowder plant is part of the Russian state-owned Rostec corporation and is one of the largest producers of propellant for small arms and artillery ammunition in Russia, fulfilling state orders for the Ministry of Defense.

The factory manufactures over 200 products, specializing in pyroxylin powders for both military and civilian use. Its production includes:

• Powders for all types of small arms and artillery

• Components for naval, aviation, and ground forces

• Main armor-piercing shells for tanks

• the only Russian facility producing certain critical propellant types

As of now, Ukrainian officials have not commented on the incident. Kyiv Post has contacted its sources for confirmation.