Bratsk Plant Chlorine Release Sparks Criminal Case, Six Injured
Investigators say environmental rules were broken after a chlorine leak at an Ilim Group plant in Bratsk, injuring six people.
Feb 2, 2026 0
Investigators examine the scene of the chlorine release at the industrial facility.
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A criminal case has been initiated over violation of environmental protection rules during work operations following a chlorine release at the Ilim Group plant in Bratsk. Six people were hospitalized as a result.
As a reminder, the incident occurred on January 22. According to the Prosecutor«s Office of the Angara region, six people were affected due to excessive gas contamination in the premises. Medical assistance was required for two Ilim employees and four workers from a contractor organization who were on the industrial site of the enterprise. They were taken to Bratsk City and District Hospitals.
The Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for Irkutsk Region believes that environmental protection rules were violated on the enterprise«s territory in the two days leading up to the incident.
Investigators have inspected the scene and appointed several forensic examinations. The Bratsk Prosecutor«s Office has taken control of the investigation.
After the incident, the Ilim Group«s communications and public relations directorate told the IrCity portal that the condition of all victims is assessed as satisfactory, and they received all necessary medical care at the hospital.
Currently, the Bratsk Forest Industry Complex is operating normally. There is no threat of environmental or man-made consequences, or to the life and health of employees and city residents.
Ilim is the largest Russian pulp and paper company. It owns two branches in Irkutsk Region—forest industry complexes in Bratsk and Ust-Ilimsk.
The main shareholder of JSC «Group Ilim» is Ilim SA, registered in Switzerland. Ilim SA is owned in various shares by multimillionaire Zakhar Smushkin, one of Russia«s richest people, and billionaires Boris and Mikhail Zingarevich. Until 2023, part of Ilim SA belonged to the American company International Paper, which after the start of the special operation in Ukraine sold its stake for $484 million to a firm owned by Smushkin and Boris Zingarevich.
The Bratsk Forest Industry Complex (BLPK) produces market pulp, forest chemicals, and round timber, as reported on the Ilim Group«s website. The annual production volume is 1.1 million tons. The enterprise produces 35% of the Russian branch»s pulp.
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