Editor's note: This is a developing story and is being updated.
An Avangard electronics plant reportedly caught fire in the Russian city of St. Petersburg following a series of explosions, local Telegram channels and officials reported overnight on May 29.
In purported videos posted on social media, a large fire was seen rising from the factory's roof in the Kalininsky district of the city. Preliminary reports indicate that the fire began around 1 a.m. local time.
The fire is reportedly burning on the 5th floor of a 6-story building, the St. Petersburg Emergency Services Ministry said, adding that the fire covers approximately 100-square-meters.
The plant reportedly specializes in the production of microelectronics and microcircuits.
The cause of the fire was not immediately clear. Ukraine's military has not yet commented on the fire, and there were no official reports of Ukrainian drone attacks targeting the region ahead of the fire.
The Kyiv Independent cannot independently verify reports made by Russian officials.
Kyiv has previously target St. Petersburg through drone attacks on the region.
As Russia continues to reject calls for a ceasefire and the war drags on, Ukraine has intensified drone attacks on Russian territory. In particular, drone attacks in Russia have forced airport closures for several nights in a row.
A source in the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) told the Kyiv Independent on May 28 that Ukrainian long-range drones hit the Raduga enterprise in the town of Dubna in Moscow Oblast, which produces cruise missiles.
Lucy Pakhnyuk
(Updated: )
