An explosion at a factory in the central Russian city of Kopeysk killed 10 people and left 12 others missing, the region’s Governor said Thursday (October 23, 2025).
Authorities did not say what caused the blast late Wednesday (October 22, 2025) or give the name of the plant, but Russian media outlets reported that it produced explosives for the military.
Videos of the incident on Russian social media showed a ball of flames erupting into the night sky, sending glowing embers in multiple directions.
“According to the latest information, 10 people were killed in the explosion at the plant in Kopeysk,” Chelyabinsk region Governor Alexei Teksler said on Telegram on Thursday (October 23, 2025).
“The whereabouts of another 12 employees are being clarified,” he added.
Russian prosecutors said they had opened a criminal investigation into “industrial safety” violations, without elaborating.
Investigators do not believe a Ukrainian drone attack was the cause, Mr. Teksler said.
Kyiv has targeted Russian industrial sites with drones throughout the nearly four-year war, causing billions of dollars worth of damage.
Kopeysk, home to around 150,000 people and some 1,600 kilometres (1,000 miles) from Ukraine, lies on the outskirts of the regional capital Chelyabinsk and is home to multiple manufacturing facilities.
Published – October 23, 2025 10:35 pm IST
