In Astrakhan, Russia, Governor Igor Babushkin reassured residents on Wednesday not to panic when the city was covered by a cloud of natural gas due to restart work at a nearby gas chemical complex attacked by Ukrainian drones. Babushkin explained on Telegram that the gas smell was a byproduct of the plant's production restart process. He mentioned ongoing restoration work and the ignition of gas flares as part of the restart efforts, without specifying the production line being reinstated.

Babushkin highlighted that although the gas cloud might cause a noticeable odor, it was not harmful in open areas, and assured that the atmospheric air quality would return to normal soon.

Addressing concerns about potential future incidents before full plant operation resumes, Babushkin encouraged residents to remain calm. Despite his reassurances, some local residents sarcastically commented on social media about the strong gas smell in nearby areas.

The Astrakhan Gas Processing Plant, one of the world's largest gas chemical facilities, had an annual production capacity of various petroleum products in 2024, as per industry sources.