A large explosion struck a munitions factory in the Italian town of Colleferro on Thursday, sending a towering plume of smoke into the sky and raising fresh concerns about the vulnerability of Europe’s defence supply chain. The facility, operated by KNDS Ammo Italy, produces 155mm artillery shells that are supplied to Ukraine via European intermediaries, making it a critical link in the West’s military support to Kyiv.
No injuries were reported. Italian authorities said employees sheltered in secure areas as the blast tore through the plant’s powder-pressing department. Colleferro Mayor Giulio Calamita wrote on Facebook that “the situation is under control,” while firefighters worked to contain the fire that followed the initial explosion.
Defence Supply Chain at Risk
KNDS Ammo Italy is a subsidiary of the Franco-German defence group KNDS, which was formed from the merger of Nexter and Krauss-Maffei Wegmann. The Colleferro plant produces medium- and large-caliber ammunition and has been a key supplier of artillery rounds to Ukraine since the start of the full-scale war. KNDS opened a subsidiary in Kyiv in 2024 and maintains close defence ties with the Ukrainian military.
Authorities declared a seven-day partial state of emergency because of the danger posed by shells scattered within a 500-meter radius by secondary explosions. The site, located about 40 kilometres southeast of Rome, has seen deadly accidents in the past, with previous incidents during its years under earlier owners including Simmel Difesa and BPD.
Broader European Munitions Push
The explosion comes as European nations scramble to ramp up ammunition production to meet both Ukrainian demand and their own stockpile replenishment goals. At the NATO summit in Ankara in July, allies pledged to spend 5% of GDP on defence by 2035, with tens of billions of dollars in new contracts expected at the alliance’s Defence Industry Forum.
KNDS itself has proposed manufacturing 200,000 155mm artillery shells per year in Poland as part of a Franco-Polish partnership, reflecting the continent-wide push to expand munitions output. The Colleferro blast could temporarily disrupt one of the existing production lines feeding shells to the Ukrainian front.
Francesco Rocca, president of the Lazio region, stressed that “the absolute priority is to ensure people’s safety and allow all personnel involved in the emergency response to operate under the best possible conditions.” Italian media reported that initial indications pointed to an accident at the compaction press for explosive powder.
Sources: Reuters; AP; Kyiv Independent; Euronews; Corriere della Sera
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