Drone raid hits Russian explosives-linked chemical plant in Stavropol Krai overnight. Again (MAP)

In the early hours of 4 December 2025, Ukrainian drones struck the Nevinnomyssk Azot chemical plant in southern Russia’s Stavropol Krai, according to Ukrainian Telegram channel Exilenova+. A photo published by the channel shows a massive fire blazing on the horizon, later geolocated to the vicinity of the plant. The facility is about 550 km from the frontline in Ukraine.

Ukrainian drones hit chemical plant tied to rocket fuel and explosives in southern Russia

At 2:40 a.m., Exilenova+ reported that drones had attacked a site in Nevinnomyssk, allegedly targeting the Nevinnomyssk Azot plant. In a follow-up post, it provided the coordinates of the camera’s point of view, pointing toward the area of the facility, and noted the plant had already been attacked earlier this year.

In the morning, local Russian news outlet 1777 reported that around 1:30 a.m., at least eight fixed-wing drones had attacked an industrial facility in Nevinnomyssk. The outlet claimed that the assault lasted approximately three hours, during which Russian air defense forces tried to repel it. It stated that no casualties or destruction had been officially confirmed at the time of publication.

Russian Telegram channel Astra said Governor Vladimir Vladimirov acknowledged the strike, claiming there were “no casualties or destruction.” He described the incident as “another attempt by the enemy” to hit Nevinnomyssk. The city’s mayor, Mikhail Minenkov, posted a morning video saying “everything is fine” and thanked Russian air defense crews. 

Russia’s Ministry of Defense stated that it had downed 14 drones over Stavropol Krai that night.

Key link in explosives production chain

Militarnyi noted that the Nevinnomyssk Azot plant plays a key role in Russia’s production of explosives and solid-fuel components. It supplies materials for powerful explosive compounds — including hexogen and octogen — which are transferred to the Sverdlov plant in Dzerzhinsk for use in artillery shells and warheads. The plant also provides chemical components to NPO Iskra, a major Russian manufacturer of solid-fuel rocket engines for missile systems.

Nevinnomyssk Azot is owned by EuroChem and is one of the largest chemical facilities in southern Russia. Its annual output includes over 1 million tons of ammonia and 1.4 million tons of ammonium nitrate. It houses Russia’s only production units for methyl acetate and high-purity acetic acid, as well as the country’s first melamine production line. In 2024, it launched a new potassium nitrate production facility.