Ukrainian attack sparks major fire at Russian rubber plant in Tula Oblast, military says
Editor's note: This story has been updated with the confirmation from the Ukrainian military.
A synthetic rubber factory in Russia's Tula Oblast was set ablaze overnight on Dec. 24 following an attack, Ukraine's General Staff reported.
The plant, located in the town of Efremov, produces dual-use synthetic rubber and polymers used in military vehicle tires, armored personnel carriers, and other weapons-related applications, making it a strategically significant target.
The General Staff said explosions and a large-scale fire were reported at the site.
According to the Ukrainian military, explosions were reported at the site, followed by a large-scale fire. Local residents shared images and accounts on social media showing flames engulfing the Efremov synthetic rubber plant.
Tula Oblast Governor Alexei Dyumin confirmed that an attack caused a fire at "one of the enterprises" in the region but did not identify the facility or provide information on damage or casualties.
Russia's Defense Ministry said air defenses shot down 172 Ukrainian drones overnight across several regions, without specifying whether the Tula incident was linked to the reported drone attacks.
Earlier this year, the pro-Ukrainian Atesh partisan group claimed responsibility for an attack on a communications tower at an air defense factory in the city of Tula.
