Novouralsk Nuclear Plant Blast—What We Know as Russians Rushed to Hospital

More than 100 people have been hospitalized and one person was killed after an explosion at a uranium enrichment plant in Russia's Urals region—the largest of its kind in the world—according to local media reports.

Russia's state nuclear corporation, Rosatom, which owns the Ural Electrochemical Combine in Novouralsk, said a cylinder with depleted uranium hexafluoride was "depressurized" at around 9 a.m. local time.

Russian media outlets often use euphemisms such as "loud bang" or "depressurized" instead of "blast" or "explosion," allegedly to avoid sowing panic and maintain a favorable information landscape.

In a statement, Rosatom assured that the incident was "promptly localized," that there was no risk to people living nearby, and that background radiation at the plant "corresponds to natural values."

Local news outlet E1 reported that the cylinder was "dropped." Local residents have reportedly been asked to remain at home, while Vyacheslav Tyumentsev, the head of Novouralsk, asked residents not to panic and said the situation "is under control."

One person, a 65-year-old "dedicated equipment maintenance technician," was killed in the "tragic incident" at the plant, Rosatom told Newsweek in a statement.

"The General Director of Ural Electrochemical Plant, Alexander Dudin, together with the entire plant collective and the State Corporation 'Rosatom,' express heartfelt condolences to the family and loved ones of the deceased for their devastating loss," it said.

More than 100 workers from the plant were being taken to a nearby hospital for examination and are likely not injured, according to the Russian news outlet E1, which added that doctors who were on vacation and not working were called in "urgently."

Rosatom said the other workers present at the time of the incident "underwent medical examination at the Central Clinical Hospital No. 31 of the Federal Medical-Biological Agency of Russia in Novouralsk."

"We are relieved to report that most workers have been discharged after undergoing decontamination procedures, and their lives and health are not at risk," the statement said.

Rosatom said it has formed a "dedicated commission" to conduct a thorough investigation into the incident. "Our priority is to identify the root causes and implement robust preventive measures to eliminate any chance of recurrence," it said.

Urals Electrochemical Combine says it enriches uranium for use in nuclear power plants and is the largest of its kind in the world.

What Is Depleted Uranium Hexafluoride?

Depleted uranium hexafluoride is produced in the uranium enrichment process, contains 0.2 percent to 0.4 percent of the rare isotope uranium-235, and is typically stored as a solid in steel cylinders, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.

Rosatom said in its statement to Newsweek that depleted uranium hexafluoride is "1.7 times less radioactive than natural uranium and poses no threat to human health."

The United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission (URNC) notes that when DUF6 contacts moisture in the air, it reacts to form uranyl fluoride gas and hydrogen fluoride, a corrosive acid that can be "very dangerous if inhaled."

"Uranium is a heavy metal that can be toxic to the kidneys when taken internally," the URNC notes.

Where Is the Plant Located?

The Ural Electrochemical Combine is located in Novouralsk in Russia's Sverdlovsk region—located some 1,800 kilometers (1,118 miles) from Moscow.

It has been operating since 1945 and is the largest uranium enrichment plant in the world. It produces nuclear fuel for nuclear power plants and processes spent fuel.

What Are Russia's Closed Cities?

Novouralsk is one of several dozen of Russia's closed towns and cities, which, during the Soviet period, were off limits to the general public due to their involvement in weapons research, and could only be accessed by citizens if they had employment there, or if were close relatives of residents with a permanent entry-pass.

At the time, the names and locations of the towns or cities were unknown to the rest of the world, and residents of these closed towns were made to sign documents saying that they would not reveal this information.

They were given names by the Soviet government based on cities they were located near to. Novouralsk, formerly known as Sverdlovsk-44, was renamed in 1954, and was kept secret until 1994.

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Update 07/14/23, 11:15 a.m. ET: This article was updated with a statement from Rosatom.