ASTRA found out the consequences of the drone attack on Azot plant in Novomoskovsk, Tula region, on the morning of May 24. The drones hit the enterprise, resulting in a low-pressure pipeline with natural gas in workshop 4 catching fire. 2 tanks with a volume of 750 tons of nitric acid were also damaged. Nitric acid leaked from one of them to the ground. The plant completely suspended its work on the day of the attack. It is unknown whether it has resumed work now.
The governor of the Tula region previously reported that as a result of the UAV attack, acid tanks were damaged. The analysis of the NAC Azot’s scheme actually confirmed information from local residents about the workshops “Ammonia-2”, “Carbamide-2” and Workshop-5A getting hit. Nevertheless, the governor of the Tula region Dmitry Milyaev wrote that there are no excess levels of harmful substances in the air. 3 factory workers were injured.
According to the company’s website, Novomoskovsk Joint Stock Company Azot is the largest domestic producer of ammonia and nitrogen fertilizers, as well as one of the industry’s leaders in terms of types and quantity of products. The company produces mineral fertilizers, ammonia, organic plastics and resins, chlorine, caustic soda, calcium chloride, concentrated and high purity nitric acid, argon, and methanol. Since 2002, NAC Azot has been a part of Eurochem Holding.
Earlier, ASTRA reported, how on April 5, a ton of nitric acid was spilled as a result of a UAV attack on the explosives manufacturing plant of Promsintez JSC in Chapaevsk, Samara region. The local authorities hid it.
According to open data, nitric acid is actively used in the production of explosives — it is one of the key components in the chemistry of explosives. Even dilute nitric acid is dangerous for humans and the environment — it corrodes tissues, its vapors are toxic, the soil burns out at the site of the spill — plants and microorganisms die.
