A fire has broken out at the «Proton-PM» factory in the Russian Federation, where rocket engines are manufactured

In Perm, Russia Reports have emerged of a fire at the Proton-PM JSC plant — one of the key facilities in the Russian Federation’s rocket and space industry. The company specialises in the manufacture of high-thrust liquid-fuelled rocket engines and components for the aerospace and power generation industries. The cause of the fire and its potential impact on production are currently being investigated.

What is known about the fire at «Proton-PM»

For preliminary information, On 2 September, a fire broke out at one of Proton-PM’s production sites in Perm.

At the time of publication, there are no detailed official reports from the Russian emergency services in open sources regarding the extent of the fire, the workshops affected or any possible casualties. Nor have the causes of the fire been reported.

It is therefore not yet possible to determine whether the fire directly affected the rocket engine production lines.

«Proton-PM» manufactures rocket engines for the Russian Federation

Proton-PM JSC is one of the largest enterprises in the Russian rocket and space industry. The company forms part of an integrated structure Energomash Research and Production Association, part of the Roscosmos State Corporation« and specialises in high-thrust liquid-fuelled rocket engines for the first stages of launch vehicles.

According to the company itself, over the course of its history it has produced over 3,000 engines for the «Proton» family of rockets. Engines manufactured in Perm have been used in more than 420 launches of carrier rockets.

In February 2026, the Proton-M rocket was launched once again with six engines RD-276, mass-produced by «Proton-PM». The plant noted that such engines were manufactured in Perm from 1965 to 2019, having developed the RD-253, RD-275 and RD-276 variants in total.

The factory has started producing engines for the «Angara»

One of the company’s most important areas of focus at present is a new family of Russian missiles «Angara».

In February 2025, «Proton-PM» opened a state-of-the-art rocket engine production complex in the Novi Lyady neighbourhood. The new building is designed to accommodate approximately 630 items of technical equipment, and the company began transferring equipment, technology and staff from the old site to the new one.

The company had previously reported that this complex houses machining, mechanical assembly workshops, electrochemical production lines and the final assembly section for RD-191 rocket engines. It is the RD-191 that is used in the first stages of the Angara family of rockets.

In April 2026, the company also showcased its test facility in Novye Lyady, where fire tests on rocket engines.

The company is important to the Russian rocket industry

In addition to its space-related activities, «Proton-PM» manufactures components for aircraft engines and gas turbine units, carries out testing of gas turbine equipment and performs other mechanical engineering work.

Consequently, the fire at the plant has attracted attention because of its significance for the Russian rocket engine industry. However, It is still too early to say anything about the extent of the damage and its potential impact on production programmes.

Information regarding the fire will be updated as reports come in from the emergency services or the company itself.