https://t.me/supernova_plus/39895
The "Azot" chemical plant, targeted by the Ukrainian Armed Forces in Tula Oblast, supplies nitric acid to the Sverdlov Plant in Nizhny Novgorod Oblast — an ingredient used in the production of HMX and RDX explosives, which are, in turn, used in artillery shells, according to Reuters.
As ASTRA noted, back in 2024 the publication studied railway shipping records in Russia up to September 2024 and found that, since the start of the full-scale war, five major Russian chemical companies supplied over 75% of the key chemicals for explosives and gunpowder plants via rail. According to the agency, the five main suppliers of chemical components are: EuroChem (founded by Andrey Melnichenko), Uralchem (owned by Dmitry Mazepin), Evraz (28% owned by Roman Abramovich), the Sredneuralsk Copper Smelting Plant (founded by Iskander Makhmudov), and Lukoil (owned by Vagit Alekperov).
According to Reuters, two EuroChem plants — the Nevinnomyssk Nitrogen Plant and Novomoskovsky Azot — delivered at least 38,000 tons of acetic acid and nearly 5,000 tons of nitric acid to the Sverdlov Plant in Dzerzhinsk, Nizhny Novgorod Oblast. These acids are used in the production of HMX and RDX, which are essential for making artillery shells.
EuroChem responded to journalists at the time by saying Reuters’ calculations contained “numerous significant factual errors,” and that EuroChem is not part of Russia’s defense sector and its products are not intended for military use.
According to the company’s website, the Novomoskovsk Joint-Stock Company "Azot" is the country’s largest domestic producer of ammonia and nitrogen fertilizers, and one of the industry’s leaders by range and volume of products. The plant produces mineral fertilizers, ammonia, organic plastics and resins, chlorine, caustic soda, calcium chloride, concentrated and ultra-pure nitric acid, argon, and methanol. Since 2002, NAK “Azot” has been part of the EuroChem holding.
As ASTRA reported, on May 24, NAK "Azot" in Novomoskovsk, Tula Oblast, was already struck by UAVs. Drones hit the facility, causing a natural gas low-pressure pipeline to catch fire in Workshop No. 4. Two nitric acid tanks, each with a volume of 750 tons, were also damaged. One of them leaked nitric acid onto the ground. The plant fully halted operations that day.
On the night of June 8, local residents reported that the plant was attacked again.
The circumstances of his death were previously unknown, however there were unconfirmed rumors he was killed by Russians.