Fire at Bashkortostan Oil Chemical Plant: Major Incident Over 1,300 Kilometers from Ukraine
On November 4, in the city of Sterlitamak in the Republic of Bashkortostan, a major incident occurred at one of the region’s key petrochemical facilities.
Local authorities reported that an explosion and subsequent fire led to partial destruction of the plant’s water treatment workshop, which was unstaffed at the time of the incident.
The enterprise is located approximately 1,300 kilometers from the Ukrainian border, yet this event drew international attention due to its potential implications for global energy supplies.
According to regional officials, early in the morning on November 4, unidentified drones attacked the area, including the plant.
Russian air defense systems reported that they intercepted and shot down the drones, with debris falling in the vicinity of a support workshop, and fortunately, no one was injured.
The administration of Sterlitamak confirmed that preliminary information indicates five employees were working in the affected workshop during the explosion.
Russian media sources mention at least three smoke clusters on the scene, notably near railway tanks and storage containers.
Analysts suggest that the incident could have resulted from a drone attack that ignited a fire at the plant, which is a significant part of Russia’s chemical industry.
The plant specializes in the production of rubbers, aviation gasoline, and ionol, and is part of the Roskhim holding.
The facility supplies products both domestically and for export, including for the Russian military-industrial complex.
Amid these developments, another incident took place — a fire at the Lukoil-Nizhnevolzhski refinery in Kstovo.
These events highlight increasing safety concerns around Russian oil facilities and their potential impact on regional and global energy security.