Explosions reported at Russian chemical facility in Stavropol Krai, local media reports

Editor’s note: This is a developing story and is being updated.

Explosions and fires were reported in Russia’s Stavropol and Tatarstan regions overnight on May 16, local media sources reported.

In the city of Nevinnomyssk, a chemical plant identified as the Nevinnomyssky Azot facility was reportedly struck, with videos shared by local residents showing a fire at the site.

Ukrainian Telegram channel Exilenova Plus published that a blaze broke out at the facility, while residents said they had heard multiple explosions overnight.

The plant is a major Russian chemical manufacturer and part of the EuroChem Group, one of the country's leading producers of nitrogen fertilizers and ammonia.

Nevinnomyssky Azot is located in Stavropol Krai, a region in southern Russia that lies roughly 250 kilometers (155 miles) from the Ukrainian border, placing it within the potential range of long-distance drone strikes.

The facility has been repeatedly targeted throughout the full-scale war, with previous strikes reported in March and January 2026, as well as numerous times in 2025.

Separately, a major fire was reported in the city of Naberezhnye Chelny in Russia’s Tatarstan Republic, where authorities had earlier declared a drone threat, though it remains unclear whether the incidents are connected.

Tatarstan, located in central European Russia's Volga-Ural region, is far from the front lines. Its capital, Kazan, lies about 800 kilometers (497 miles) east of Moscow.

Ukraine routinely launches deep strikes against military and industrial facilities in Russia, primarily relying on domestically developed drones.