Massive explosion rocks Italian ammunition plant that produces artillery for Ukraine
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A large-scale blast hit an ammunition factory in the Italian town of Colleferro, near Rome, on Aug. 13, local authorities and regional media reported.
The factory is operated by KNDS Ammo Italy, a subsidiary of the French-German defense firm KNDS. The facility produces 155 mm artillery shells supplied to Ukraine via European partners.
The explosion caused a fire and a loud blast that could be heard by residents in nearby districts, the Italian outlet AGI reported. The fire broke out in the plant's gunpowder processing and compression unit.
Emergency crews arrived on the scene and employees reached the designated safe zones in accordance with evacuation protocols, AGI reported. The incident caused no casualties.
Video footage of the explosion showed large plumes of smoke rising from the factory.
Colleferro Mayor Giulio Calamita said in a Facebook post that "the situation is under control" at the blast site.
"We will update you as soon as possible with verified information," he said.
KNDS said in a statement that it had launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the explosion.
KNDS Ammo Italy manufactures large- and medium-caliber munitions for land and naval forces. It also cooperates with Ukraine on the production of NATO-standard 155 mm ammunition under agreements with the European Defense Agency.
In addition to artillery, Ukraine receives multiple weapons systems produced by KNDS Group, including the Caesar artillery gun, the Gepard self-propelled anti-aircraft gun tank, and the PzH 2000 armored howitzer.
The defense firm opened its first office in Ukraine in October 2025.
The blast at KNDS Ammo Italy comes a week after a drone outfitted with explosives was found near a Ukrainian aircraft at the Leipzig/Halle Airport in Germany. The so-called "modified drone" was discovered on Aug. 4 next to a Ukrainian Antonov Airlines An-124 transport plane, while a second drone collided with an incoming cargo plane.
A bomb disposal robot was deployed to carry out a controlled explosion at the airfield, preventing further damage.
U.S. intelligence believes Russia is responsible for the drone plot, the Wall Street Journal reported on Aug. 7.
German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt also described the incident as a "hybrid attack scenario." While he did not name Russia, the incident is consistent with a pattern of Kremlin-linked hybrid warfare operations in European countries in recent years.
