Ukrainian drones hit chemical plant in Russian city of Cherepovets, reports suggest

Prefer on Google by Polina Moroziuk A screenshot of a video purporting to show fires at the Apatit plant in Cherepovets, Russia’s Vologda Oblast, after a reported Ukrainian drone attack on April 13, 2026 (Astra, Telegram) Ukrainian drones struck a major industrial facility in the Russian city of Cherepovets overnight, targeting a chemical plant producing fertilizers and industrial compounds, according to Russian independent outlet Astra. The strike is part of Ukraine's ongoing campaign to hit industrial and infrastructure targets deep inside Russia, aimed at disrupting logistics and production linked to Moscow's war effort. Astra's open-source intelligence analysts suggested that drones likely struck the nitrogen complex at the Cherepovets branch of JSC Apatit. Footage filmed by an eyewitness near the facility's Gate No. 6 appears to show at least two fires burning on the site. Vologda Oblast Governor Georgy Filimonov said 13 drones targeted the city's industrial zone and that emergency services were working at sites where debris had fallen. While neither Russian nor Ukrainian authorities confirmed direct damage to the facility, local reports and images circulating online suggest the strike affected the Apatit chemical complex, which produces phosphate-based fertilizers and industrial chemicals. Some of the plant's outputs, including sulfuric acid, ammonia, and ammonium nitrate, have dual-use applications and can be used in military production. Local residents in online chats voiced concern about possible chemical exposure, with messages advising people to seal windows and stock up on water and protective masks. The Kyiv Independent could not verify these claims independently. The Apatit plant is one of Russia's largest producers of phosphorus-based fertilizers and is owned by PhosAgro, whose key shareholders, including businessman Andrey Guryev, have been sanctioned by Western countries since 2022. According to earlier reports, the same Apatit plant was targeted on March 27, when explosions were reported in Cherepovets and local residents said drones struck the facility. Cherepovets is located in Russia's Vologda Oblast, around 500 kilometers (311 miles) northeast of Moscow.