An explosion occurred in the vicinity of Izhevsk in Udmurtia; residents of Votkinsk, Yagul and Zavyalovo heard it. Eyewitnesses published the video on social networks, and Baza and Podem drew attention to this.
Both publications, citing the Ministry of Emergency Situations, claim that the explosion is related to “technical work” at the defense Votkinsk plant. The pro-government telegram channel Readovka also writes about “ordinary technical work” at the enterprise.
The Unified Duty Dispatch Service (EDDS) of the Zavyalovsky district later told TASS that the explosion near Izhevsk occurred during testing. “There was an appeal from the Votkinsk plant, there was a test of rocket engines. This is not an emergency, a planned [event],” said the agency’s interlocutor.
At 23:06, the official telegram channel of the Ministry of Emergency Situations for the Udmurt Republic wrote: “The Ministry of Emergency Situations of Russia does not confirm a powerful explosion on the territory of the Votkinsk plant near Izhevsk » As Mediazona noted, this message was deleted a few minutes later.
Half an hour later, the department published another post: “No emergencies or emergency situations were registered on the territory of the Udmurt Republic, no socially significant incidents occurred.”
“Votkinsk Plant” also produces missiles “ Topol-M», «Yars», «Bulava», «Iskander-M» and «Tochka-U», as well as equipment for the nuclear and oil and gas industries. After the start of the war in Ukraine, the company was included in the sanctions lists of the US, EU and UK.
Updated at 23:19. Added information about the deleted message from the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Udmurtia.