A fire broke out in an industrial zone in the city of Saransk, the capital of Russia’s Republic of Mordovia, on Saturday (February 21), in a new blow to Vladimir Putin’s war effort. According to social media reports, the blaze occurred at Electrovypryamitel, one of the country’s largest producers of power electronics for the Russian armed forces.
The fire erupted in Saransk at about 10am local time, with the regional emergency ministry saying the blaze occurred near a defence industry facility, the Saransk Instrument Making Plant, on Vasenko Street, without giving a cause. However, a few hours earlier, authorities said a drone alert had been declared in the region, which was later lifted at 10.30am. The fire spread through one workshop at the plant, covering an area of 1,165 square feet (150sqm).
Two hours later, the emergency ministry reported the blaze had been localised and said no one was injured.
Local residents told the Russian Astra Telegram channel that the fire occurred on the premises of Electrovypryamitel PJSC, one of Russia‘s largest manufacturers of power electronics for the Russian armed forces. They also suggested the plant may have been hit by drones.
Astra analysed footage from eyewitnesses showing a large column of black smoke and concluded that Electrovypryamitel was the site of the blaze. The company produces rectifiers, inverters, power supplies, converters and other specialised electrical equipment. It is under sanctions by the US, Canada, the EU, the UK, Switzerland, New Zealand and Japan over its involvement in Russia’s state defence orders.
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According to sources, Electrovypryamitel is licensed to develop and assemble power semiconductor devices for weapons and military equipment in the Military Register system. It also has official permission from the State Nuclear Supervision Authority (Gosatomnadzor) to design and manufacture equipment for nuclear power plants.
Also on Saturday afternoon, Ukrainian drones struck an industrial site deep inside Russia, which a Russian news channel said was a key state-owned missile factory. The attack took place in Russia’s Udmurt Republic, leaving 11 hurt, three of whom were hospitalised, according to a Telegram post by Sergei Bagin, the local health minister.
An unofficial Russian news channel on Telegram, Astra, said the strike targeted the Votkinsk Machine Building Plant, located more than 870 km from Ukraine, which produces Iskander ballistic missiles, often used in strikes against Ukraine, as well as nuclear-capable intercontinental ballistic missiles. Other Russian news channels posted videos and photos, which they said were from Votkinsk residents, showing black smoke rising from an industrial site and blown-out windows on buildings.
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