04/14/2026
In Kazan, an explosion occurred near a gunpowder factory in the Kirovsky district on April 14. After the incident, rescue services quickly arrived at the scene, and local residents reported the sounds of explosions and a fire.
Information about the event was disseminated by the Telegram channel Exilenova+, which noted that the explosion occurred directly on the territory of the enterprise. The aggressor country’s publication KazanFirst, citing its own sources, reported that three people were injured, and the incident itself was man-made.
Later, the press service of the head of Tatarstan stated that the cause was a pressure relief system, and specified that two people were injured.
Local residents spoke of a loud bang and smoke rising above the plant. Initially, information about the number of victims varied, which seems to have confused the situation a bit. But later the authorities gave more restrained data. Regional structures also confirmed that after the explosion, part of the buildings collapsed.
Some reports indicated that the fire was near the building of the State Research Institute of Chemical Products (GosNIIHP). This enterprise is engaged in the development of technologies for the production of gunpowder and mixed fuels for weapons.
What is known now?
The explosion occurred at the Kazan Gunpowder Plant, one of the oldest state-owned enterprises of its kind in Russia. According to authorities, the incident led to a collapse at the facility , which could complicate rescue operations.
The enterprise produces gunpowder for small arms and artillery and is included in the list of system-forming enterprises in the country. It was founded in the 18th century. The circumstances of the incident continue to be investigated, and emergency services are working at the scene.
Earlier, OBOZ.UA reported that in Kazan (Tatarstan, Russian Federation) on the night of April 10, an air raid siren sounded twice. Explosions and fires also erupted in other cities of the aggressor country and in temporarily occupied Ukrainian territories. This is the first time during the full-scale invasion of Ukraine that an air raid siren was activated in Kazan. The distance from Kazan to the Ukrainian border is approximately 1,200-1,500 kilometers.