Abstract Vladimir Evgen’evich Fortov made an enormous contribution to the physics of extreme states of matter, high energy density physics, the physics of shock and detonation waves, thermal physics, chemical physics, energetics, and several other realms of physics and technology. Among this amazingly broad spectrum of V E Fortov’s scientific interests, special place is occupied by dynamic methods in the physics of nonideal plasmas. His scientific activity commenced in precisely this area, and it remained at the focus of his attention throughout his life. We have endeavored to briefly generalize V E Fortov’s investigations in the area of explosion-produced nonideal plasmas and reveal the logic of their origination.