The British American Tobacco (BAT) cigarette factory in Pryluky, in the Chernihiv region, suspended operations following a Russian drone attack on 7 September. A fire broke out on the factory premises. BAT Ukraine has stated that specialists are assessing the extent of the damage, evaluating the losses and documenting the consequences of the attack; the company has not yet specified a timeline for resuming operations.
Briefly about the main points
- Russian drones attacked Pryluky during the day on 7 September.
- A fire broke out on the premises of the tobacco factory.
- The staff were taking shelter; none of the staff were seriously injured.
- The media, citing the police, reported that a civilian had been injured near the factory.
- The duration of the shutdown could affect both domestic and export supplies.
The staff were taking shelter during the attack
According to BAT Ukraine, at the time of the strike, the factory workers were taking shelter. None of the staff were killed or seriously injured.
Ukrainian media, citing the Chernihiv regional police, reported that a local woman was injured in the attack; according to preliminary reports, she was at a bus stop near the factory. This does not concern the factory’s staff. Police were at the scene and emergency services.
The company is assessing the impact of the downtime on production and supply
The Pryluky site, whose legal name is PJSC «A/T Tobacco Company “V.A.T.-Pryluky”», manufactures Kent, Lucky Strike, Pall Mall and Rothmans cigarettes, Capri and «Pryluky», as well as tobacco sticks for the glo tobacco heating system.
In the second quarter of 2026, the company produced 1.621 billion filtered cigarettes and 297.6 million TVEN sticks. The products were supplied within Ukraine and exported, notably to Iraq, Saudi Arabia, EU countries and Asia. During this period, exports accounted for 28% of quarterly revenue, so a prolonged pause could also affect exports.
