RUSSIA – At least 7 people were killed and 10 others injured after an overnight Ukrainian drone attack targeted Dorogobuzh nitrogen fertilizer plant in Russia’s Smolensk region, according to authorities on Wednesday.

Smolensk Governor Vasily Anokhin stated on Telegram that the region came under a massive Ukrainian drone attack overnight. Air defense systems shot down 14 drones, but others reached their targets.

“The opponent struck a civilian industrial enterprise producing nitrogen fertilizers, the Dorogobuzh Plant. According to preliminary information, as a result of this barbaric terrorist attack by the Ukrainian troops, four employees of the enterprise were killed and ten were injured,” he said.

The death toll rose to 7 later on Wednesday.

According to the governor, the injured were taken to a medical facility and are receiving necessary assistance.

“Rescuers are working at the scene and have localized the fires. To minimize potential threats to the population, the evacuation of residents from the nearby locality is being considered,” Anokhin said, pledging to provide all necessary assistance to the families of the injured and deceased.

“Be vigilant and trust only verified information from official sources! I will inform you additionally about the development of the situation,” he said.

In a separate statement, the Russian Defense Ministry confirmed that 14 drones were shot down over the Smolensk region overnight. Also, a Russian air threat monitoring resource, Lpr 1, declared a “red level” drone attack danger at 5 am Moscow time (GMT0200) on Wednesday.

The Russian Investigative Committee said in a statement on Wednesday that it had opened a criminal case under the “terrorist attack” article of the Criminal Code.

According to the investigation, Ukraine’s troops launched at least 30 unmanned aerial vehicles equipped with explosive devices on the chemical plant Dorogobuzh located in the Smolensk region.

“As a result of the detonation of the explosive devices, civilians were injured: 7 people died, and at least 10 were wounded,” it said.

The Ukrainian state news agency Ukrinform confirmed the attack on the Dorogobuzh plant.

Citing Andriy Kovalenko of Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council think tank, the new agency claimed that the Dorogobuzh Thermal Power Plant supports chemical production, which is critical to Russia’s defense industry.