Ukraine War25 February, 20262 min read
Ukraine Drone Strike on Smolensk Plant Kills Up to Seven; Reports Vary
Russian officials said seven killed and ten injured; some reports said four killed. Attack hit a civilian nitrogen-fertilizer plant in Dorogobuzh, Smolensk region.
16 outlets told this the same way.
Outlets did split on Russian Attack Kills At Least 33 On Two Buses In Kramatorsk →
Dorogobuzh plant strike
A drone strike early on 25 February 2026 struck the PJSC Dorogobuzh chemical-fertilizer plant in Russia’s Smolensk region. Russian officials describe the site as a civilian nitrogen-fertiliser enterprise and have attributed the attack to Ukraine.
“Russian authorities said a drone attack attributed to Ukraine hit the Dorogobuzh chemical plant, a civilian nitrogen-fertilizer enterprise in Russia’s Smolensk region, killing seven and injuring at least 10. The Russian Investigative Committee said it opened a criminal case under the ‘terrorist attack’ article, reporting that Ukraine launched at least 30 explosive-laden UAVs against the plant. Smolensk Governor Vasily Anokhin said 14 drones were shot down, called the strike a ‘barbaric terrorist attack,’ and reported that rescuers have localized fires and the injured are receiving medical care.”
Russian bodies — including the Investigative Committee and regional governor Vasily Anokhin — said roughly 30 explosive-laden drones were involved and reported multiple casualties and localized fires as rescuers worked the scene. Moscow has opened a criminal probe under its "terrorist attack" article while emergency teams assessed damage and considered evacuations of nearby settlements.
Dorogobuzh plant damage
Reports describe extensive damage to production units at the Dorogobuzh site. The ammonia and ammonium nitrate workshops and the plant’s autothermal synthesis unit in the nitric acid/ammonia circuit were hit. The strikes sparked fires that rescuers later said were contained.
Some outlets also report an associated strike on a nearby thermal power plant. Residents experienced shockwaves and temporary water and utility outages. Emergency teams worked to secure the area.
Conflicting casualty and interception reports
Casualty counts vary across outlets: several international wires and state-linked Russian reports say seven killed and at least ten injured, while other regional reports cite fewer deaths — for example, some Kremlin-aligned channels and local reports cite four fatalities and lower injury totals.
“Russian authorities said a drone attack attributed to Ukraine hit the Dorogobuzh chemical plant, a civilian nitrogen-fertilizer enterprise in Russia’s Smolensk region, killing seven and injuring at least 10.”
Air-defence tallies also differ, with figures ranging from 14 drones shot down locally to reports saying dozens, or even 69, were intercepted across multiple regions that night.
Responses to the strike
Russian authorities and media framed the strike as a severe, criminal act. The Investigative Committee opened a terrorism case, and regional officials used stark language.
Other outlets placed the attack in the context of ongoing cross-border drone campaigns and mutual strikes. They noted Kyiv’s broader drone operations and that Ukrainian authorities had not immediately commented or denied targeting civilians.
Conflicting media reports
Significant uncertainty and conflicting reporting remain. Social-media footage of fires is described as unverified by several wires. Casualty figures and intercepted-drone counts contradict between outlets.
“Russian defense officials also said air defences intercepted 69 of 115 attack drones that night, with 14 destroyed over Smolensk.”
Some reports note related or distant strikes reported elsewhere that are not consistently covered. That mix of official statements, local Russian channels, international news wires and alternative outlets produces varying emphases, from legal denunciation to technical damage detail. The mix leaves the precise death toll and full scope of damage unclear in the immediate aftermath.
