Sanctions and drones hit Russian fertilizer sector

The European Union has imposed sanctions on the import of fertilizers from Russia and Belarus following the Russian invasion of Ukraine. This impacts European agriculture, as an important source of cheap fertilizers has been cut off. Until recently, Russia accounted for about a quarter of European fertilizer imports, particularly of ammonium nitrate and its variants. The factories in Russia can no longer fully produce and export for various reasons beyond the sanctions. Ukrainian drones have frequently targeted them. The reason: the factories can just as easily make explosives as fertilizers, and they do so. But if they are completely idle, that also affects Russian agriculture, which needs fertilizers for grain production. Visit from drones Ukraine does not have large, heavy missiles like Russia, but has developed drones (unmanned aircraft) that are becoming increasingly better and can fly further. Particularly in the last year and a half, they have targeted various fertilizer plants in Russia, sometimes multiple times. One of the key affected locations is PJSC Dorogoboezj in the Smolensk region, west of Moscow. This week, the factory was hit, causing a large fire. According to reports, seven people died in the attack. The factory produces ammonium nitrate and ammonia, raw materials that are directly used in the defense industry. It is not the only one. Five other companies received visits from Ukraine. For example, the Acron factory in the Veliky Novgorod region, behind Moscow. This is one of the largest fertilizer producers in Russia. This company was attacked in December 2025. The attack led to explosions and fires in several workshops. The third factory is Nevinnomyssk Azot in the southern Stavropol region. Eurochem companies This company, which is part of the Swiss EuroChem group, has frequently been targeted, with attacks in June, July, and December 2025. It is the largest producer of nitrogen-containing fertilizers in the region and supplies nitric acid to ammunition factories. The factory has a capacity of over 1.35 million tons of fertilizer raw materials, enough to meet the entire German fertilizer demand, for example. In the neighboring Krasnodar region lies the EuroChem factory in Belorechensk. This was attacked in September 2025, leading to a temporary production halt and the evacuation of 140 employees. South of Moscow, in the Tula region, is Novomoskovsk Azot. This factory was hit by drones in May and June 2025, causing damage to infrastructure such as gas pipelines and oxygen tanks. Up to 1,500 kilometers across the border Finally, there is the Azot factory in Berezniki, in the Ural region. The distance to the Ukrainian border is over 1,500 kilometers. Nevertheless, this factory was also hit in October 2025. It is the only Russian fertilizer producer that also makes special amines necessary for explosives. Potash export Russia and Belarus are also significant producers and exporters of potash fertilizers. In Belarus, the market is dominated by JSC Belaruskali, while Oeralkali is the dominant player in Russia. These mineral fertilizers are primarily used for peaceful purposes, but some can also be used for military purposes. The United States considers access to potash so important that it has made imports from Belarus possible again. The EU is not there yet.