Ukrainian kamikaze drones successfully attacked the Sverdlov Plant, a key explosives production facility in Dzerzhinsk, Nizhny Novgorod region of Russia on April 9, 2025. Despite initial claims by regional authorities that the attack had been repelled and no damage or casualties had occurred, reports indicate that at least three UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles) successfully hit the plant, causing significant damage.
The Sverdlov Plant is a vital part of Russia’s military industry, manufacturing explosives like octogen (HMX) and hexogen (RDX), which are used in various military applications, including artillery shells and munitions for rockets. The plant has long been a target for Ukraine due to its involvement in Russia’s war efforts against Ukraine. The drones damaged a pipeline overpass and two workshops on the site, affecting the plant’s operations.
The Sverdlov Plant, which produces explosives.
This attack follows a similar one on October 20, 2024, when 16 drones were launched at the same facility. During that incident, one of the production buildings, which manufactures HMX and RDX, was damaged, with explosions breaking windows, doors, and damaging the roof. The Sverdlov Plant was later included in Ukraine’s sanctions list for its role in supporting actions that threaten Ukraine’s territorial integrity and sovereignty.
The plant had also been sanctioned by the European Union on June 23, 2023, and faces sanctions from the United States, the United Kingdom, Japan, and Switzerland. In addition, a Bloomberg report revealed that the Sverdlov Plant was a recipient of chemicals purchased by Russia to circumvent international sanctions. This included a nitric acid and nitric-sulfuric acid mixture used for explosives production.
