More than 50 injured in Russia factory explosion

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Smoke rises from a building after explosion in Sergiyev Posad, Russia, August 9, 2023Image source, Reuters

By Antoinette Radford

BBC News

More than 50 people have been injured in an explosion at a warehouse near Moscow, Russian officials have said.

Moscow's state governor Andrey Vorobyov said on Telegram that six people were in intensive care.

Videos shared online showed a large plume of smoke billowing from the facility in the city of Sergiyev Posad.

The blast occurred on the grounds of a factory that Russian media has previously said manufactures military equipment like night vision goggles.

The shockwave blew windows from nearby buildings, damaging residential apartments, two schools and a nearby sports complex.

Mr Vorobyov said the explosion occurred in a warehouse storing fireworks which was located on the grounds of the Zagorsk optics manufacturing plant.

Investigators dismissed claims the explosion was caused by a drone attack, despite pro-Kremlin commentators suggesting that was the case.

The explosion came shortly after Russia's defence ministry said two drones were shot down near Moscow overnight, one near the airport.

Russia blamed Ukraine for those drone attacks. Ukraine has not claimed involvement in either the drone attacks or the warehouse explosion.

However, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has previously said attacks on Russian territory are an "inevitable, natural and absolutely fair process".

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