7 Dead, 9 Missing in Russian Gunpowder Factory Blast

File Photo - Smoke rising from the site of blasts at an explosives plant in the town of Dzerzhinsk. (Reuters)
File Photo - Smoke rising from the site of blasts at an explosives plant in the town of Dzerzhinsk. (Reuters)
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7 Dead, 9 Missing in Russian Gunpowder Factory Blast

File Photo - Smoke rising from the site of blasts at an explosives plant in the town of Dzerzhinsk. (Reuters)
File Photo - Smoke rising from the site of blasts at an explosives plant in the town of Dzerzhinsk. (Reuters)

An explosion and fire at a gunpowder factory in Russia on Friday killed at least seven people, while nine remain missing, emergency officials said.

The Emergency Situations Ministry said the explosion hit the Elastik factory in the Ryazan region, about 270 kilometers (about 167 miles) southeast of Moscow.

Russian news reports said that all those missing are believed dead. One person was hospitalized with serious injuries, according to local officials.

The ministry said 170 emergency workers and 50 vehicles were involved in dealing with the fire, reported The Associated Press.

Officials are looking at violations of safety procedures or a short circuit among possible causes.



North Korean Troops Likely to March in 2025 Moscow Victory Day Parade

A North Korean flag flutters at Gijungdong in North Korea, in this picture taken near the truce village of Panmunjom inside the demilitarized zone (DMZ) separating the two Koreas, South Korea, July 19, 2022. REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji/Pool/File Photo
A North Korean flag flutters at Gijungdong in North Korea, in this picture taken near the truce village of Panmunjom inside the demilitarized zone (DMZ) separating the two Koreas, South Korea, July 19, 2022. REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji/Pool/File Photo
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North Korean Troops Likely to March in 2025 Moscow Victory Day Parade

A North Korean flag flutters at Gijungdong in North Korea, in this picture taken near the truce village of Panmunjom inside the demilitarized zone (DMZ) separating the two Koreas, South Korea, July 19, 2022. REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji/Pool/File Photo
A North Korean flag flutters at Gijungdong in North Korea, in this picture taken near the truce village of Panmunjom inside the demilitarized zone (DMZ) separating the two Koreas, South Korea, July 19, 2022. REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji/Pool/File Photo

Kremlin foreign policy advisor Yuri Ushakov said on Monday that he thought it likely that North Korean soldiers would take part in next year's Moscow's Red Square parade to commemorate the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany in World War Two.

Ukraine says North Korean soldiers have fought on Russia's side against Ukrainian troops trying to hold territory in Russia's Kursk region.

Moscow has neither confirmed nor denied the presence of North Korean troops on its soil, Reuters reported.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un signed a "Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Treaty" during Putin's visit to Pyongyang in June.

The pact includes a mutual defence pact for immediate military assistance if either faces armed aggression.