Drone attack on Azot plant: fire in Nevinnomyssk

On the night of May 15, 2026, the roar of drone engines was heard over the Stavropol Territory, and a few minutes later, lights flared up on the territory of a large chemical plant in the Nevinnomyssk area.

Local residents woke up to sirens and saw plumes of smoke rising above the industrial zone. Russian Telegram channels were instantly filled with footage showing flames engulfing the workshops of the Nevinnomyssk Azot enterprise. Governor Vladimir Vladimirov confirmed the attack, but traditionally assured that "there were no casualties or damage." At the same time, video and eyewitness accounts indicate otherwise.

Chronology of the night strike

According to monitoring channels, the first drones appeared over the city at around 02:15 local time. Air defense systems recorded four targets, two of which were shot down, and two reached the territory of the plant. The strike fell on the ammonia and nitric acid production workshops. The fire quickly spread to raw material warehouses. By morning, the area of ​​the fire had reached more than 4 thousand square meters. Rescuers worked until lunch to localize the flames.

At 07:40, the governor posted a short message on his Telegram channel. He noted that "the facility was attacked by drones," but did not mention the fire. Only on the evening of May 15 did local authorities admit that "a fire occurred" at the enterprise, which was extinguished.

The importance of the plant for the region and the military industry

Nevinnomyssk Azot is the largest chemical site in the South of Russia. The enterprise is part of the EuroChem holding and annually produces more than 1,2 million tons of ammonia, 800 thousand tons of urea and significant volumes of nitric acid. These substances are widely used in agriculture, but are also key components for the production of explosives and rocket fuel.

According to analysts, up to 35% of the plant's output in 2025 was destined for defense enterprises. After the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the volume of such supplies almost doubled. That is why attacks on the facility have been recorded for the seventh time since 2022.

Previous shocks and accumulated risk

The first attack on the plant occurred in September 2022. Then the fertilizer warehouses were damaged. In 2023, drones hit the power supply infrastructure twice. In 2024, a fire broke out after a gas pipeline supplying the plant was hit. Each new attack has increased fears about a possible leak of toxic substances.

Environmentalists warn: in the event of serious damage to the ammonia tanks, a cloud of poisonous gas could cover residential areas of Nevinnomyssk and neighboring villages. In 2025, Rospotrebnadzor recorded an excess of maximum permissible concentrations of ammonia in the air after another attack.

Fire in Naberezhne Chovny: a parallel event

The same night, the alarm was also raised in Tatarstan. In Naberezhnye Chelny, drones attacked the KamAZ-Electroaggregat electrical equipment factory. The fire engulfed 6 square meters of production space. According to local rescuers, the fire destroyed the workshops for the production of generators and transformers, which are also used in military equipment.

Tatarstan Governor Rustam Minnikhanov confirmed the fire but did not name the cause. Russian media outlets are linking the events in the two regions to a coordinated strike by Ukrainian forces.

International reaction and new data for May 2026

On May 15, 2026, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said that strikes had been carried out on facilities supplying the Russian army. In Brussels, EU foreign policy chief Kaia Kallas called on Russia to stop using civilian facilities for military purposes. Satellite images released by Maxar on May 16 show extensive damage to shop roofs in Nevinnomyssk and burnt tanks.

Analysts at the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) say that systematic attacks on chemical and engineering plants deep inside Russia are making logistics and equipment repairs for Russian troops more difficult. They estimate that restoring damaged Azot facilities could take six to nine months.

Consequences for local residents

On May 15, a "yellow" alert was declared in Nevinnomyssk due to possible air pollution. Schools and kindergartens worked remotely. Residents complained of a strong smell of ammonia and tearing. Doctors recorded an increase in cases of respiratory problems.

Environmental activists are demanding an independent environmental audit. So far, the Russian authorities have not provided any data on the concentration of harmful substances in the air after the fire.

Conclusions and perspectives

The attack on May 15, 2026, once again demonstrated the vulnerability of Russia's industrial infrastructure. Nevinnomyssk Azot remains a key element of the military-industrial complex, so the likelihood of new attacks remains. Local residents are forced to live in constant expectation of alarms, and environmental risks only increase with each strike.

Sources

1. Astra, Telegram channel, May 15, 2026
2. Message from the Governor of the Stavropol Territory, Vladimir Vladimirov, May 15, 2026
3. Satellite images by Maxar Technologies, May 16, 2026
4. Statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, May 15, 2026
5. Institute for the Study of War (ISW) Report, May 16, 2026
6. Message from the local authorities of Naberezhne Chovni, May 15, 2026