In the Kirovo-Chepetsk region of Russia, the «AVITEK» military-industrial complex facility was struck by a missile. Thick smoke rose above the industrial zone following the explosion. The Russian authorities have not officially confirmed that the plant was hit. There is currently no information on the extent of the damage, the number of strikes or the number of casualties.
Briefly about the main points
- Following the explosion near Kirovo-Chepetsk, thick smoke rose above the industrial estate.
- The company «AVITEK» is said to be the target of the missile strike.
- The factory manufactures aircraft mechanisms, ejection seats and modules for air defence systems.
- There is no publicly available information regarding damage to production facilities or casualties.
What is known about the explosion and the site of the blast?
Explosions were heard this morning in the vicinity of Kirovo-Chepetsk in Russia. Footage from the scene shows a tall column of smoke rising above the industrial area. According to preliminary reports, the missile strike hit the «AVITEK» plant.
The type of missile used, the number of hits and the specific workshops damaged were not reported. Similarly, there is no confirmed information regarding fatalities or injuries.
The main production facilities of JSC «Vyatsk Machine-Building Enterprise “AVITEK”» are located in Kirov, near Kirov-Chepetsk. Therefore, the location of the incident does not provide sufficient grounds to definitively identify the affected site as the company’s main site: the exact location still needs to be confirmed.
Products for aviation and air defence
«AVITEK» is part of the aerospace defence group «Diamond-Antey». According to the GUR War&Sanctions portal, the factory specialises in anti-aircraft guided missiles, target missiles, ejection seats and other military components.
The company’s product range includes the K-36DM and K-36D-3.5 ejection seats for combat aircraft of the Russian Federation’s Aerospace Forces and Naval Aviation. It also manufactures lifting systems, winches, beam and wing mounts, and other mechanisms for aeroplanes and helicopters.
A separate area of focus is the 9M334 modules for the «Tor-M1» and «Tor-M2» anti-aircraft missile systems. In its sanctions documents, the European Union describes «AVITEK» as a Russian state-owned defence industry enterprise that develops and manufactures anti-aircraft guided missiles and ejection seats for combat aircraft.
Links to the production of aviation missiles
The War&Sanctions profile also states that «AVITEK» supplies PJSC «ODK-Saturn» with 526M solid-fuelled gas generators. These are used to equip the R95-300 and R95TP turbojet engines, which are fitted to the X-59M2 and X-59M2A guided air-to-surface missiles.
This means that the company’s product range is not limited to aviation units and air defence components. At the same time, there is no basis for claiming that the plant manufactures X-59 missiles in their entirety: it has been confirmed that it produces components for their engines.
What will the production output depend on?
The impact of the strike on the company’s operations will depend on which specific section has been affected. Damage to warehouses or administrative premises will have a different impact to damage to production lines, power-generating equipment or precision engineering workshops.
