Three people were killed and five injured in an explosion at the Avangard explosives plant in the city of Sterlitamak in the Russian republic of Bashkortostan, the head of the Urals region, Radiy Khabirov, said on the Telegram app today, quoted by Reuters.

The explosion occurred last night. Investigators are investigating the causes of the blast, Khabirov noted, denying that it was caused by Ukrainian drone strikes.

Emergency services announced today that they have concluded search and rescue operations at the plant, which lasted all night.

The Avangard plant produces industrial explosives and disposes of old ammunition. Since 2022, the site has been controlled by the Russian state industrial conglomerate Rostec.

Meanwhile, the Kremlin-appointed head of the occupied part of Ukraine's Kherson region, Vladimir Saldo, announced today that two people were killed in the region in a Ukrainian drone strike. According to him, the two were living in a temporary accommodation center for evacuees.