Fire breaks out at Russia’s largest sulfur plant after drone debris fall

A fire erupted at the Astrakhan Gas Processing Plant following the falling of debris from intercepted drones, regional authorities said on Wednesday, May 13.

Governor Igor Babushkin confirmed that the incident occurred after fragments from downed unmanned aerial vehicles struck the facility.

“According to the Ministry of Emergency Situations, the fire will be extinguished within a few hours,” he wrote on Telegram, adding that there is no threat of atmospheric air pollution in Astrakhan and that no injuries were reported.

The Astrakhan Gas Processing Plant, operated by Gazprom Pererabotka, is the largest producer of sulfur in Russia. It processes gas from the Astrakhan field and manufactures K5-grade gasoline, diesel fuel, and liquefied hydrocarbon gases.

The facility is a key part of Russia’s gas processing infrastructure, and authorities have not reported additional damage beyond the fire caused by the drone debris.

By Tamilla Hasanova