45 people have been injured in a blast at a night-vision goggle factory in Moscow, The Moscow Times reports.
The explosion rocked the town of Sergiev Posad, 50 km (30 miles) northeast of Moscow on Wednesday, with emergency services reporting that the blast appeared to have taken place in a warehouse containing pyrotechnic equipment.
23 people were hospitalised, with six in intensive care, the Sergiev Posad mayor’s office said. Unverified footage on social media showed a huge column of smoke, and high-rise buildings with windows blown out.
The Zagorsk Optical and Mechanical Plant produces optical equipment for industrial and healthcare applications as well as for the Russian security forces.
However, TASS cited emergency services as saying they did not believe the blast had been caused by a Ukrainian drone attack - many of which have taken place in Moscow and the surrounding area in recent weeks and months.
The news comes as Russia claimed it shot down two Ukrainian drones headed for Moscow, one near a major airport to the south of the city and one to the west of the capital.