Copyright © 2024 Euromaidanpress.com

The work of Euromaidan Press is supported by the International Renaissance Foundation

When referencing our materials, please include an active hyperlink to the Euromaidan Press material and a maximum 500-character extract of the story. To reprint anything longer, written permission must be acquired from [email protected].

Privacy and Cookie Policies.

Shahed factory in Tatarstan hit, says Ukrainian intel, yet satellite images show no damage

It is unclear whether the factory producing kamikaze drones launched en masse by Russia will scale down production
Zelenskyy to UN: Russia understands nothing but force
The aftermath of a drone strike in Tatarstan, Russia. Photo: https://t.me/ostorozhno_novosti
Shahed factory in Tatarstan hit, says Ukrainian intel, yet satellite images show no damage

Ukraine’s attack on the factory to produce Iranian-designed Shahed drones in Tatarstan has led to “great destruction” at the plant, Ukrainian intelligence representative Andriy Yusov said on air of Ukraine’s national broadcast.

The strike is one of Ukraine’s latest attempts to strike military targets deep in Russian territory with homemade weapons amid a ban on using western weapons for such strikes.

“According to early data, a factory that assembled Shahed drones was struck. There is significant damage to production facilities there, and it is difficult to continue the company’s operations,” he said.

However, satellite images analyzed by RFE/RL appear to refute Yusov’s claims. The drone assembly shop was not damaged as a result of the strike, it follows from a comparison of satellite images from previous days.

This corresponds to reports from OSINT analyst Benjamin Pittet, who noted that only the dormitories were damaged.

Yusov refrained from comments about the type of drones, a source of speculation after the 2 April strike in Russia’s Tatarstan region 1,200 km from Ukraine’s border, RBC reported, citing the national broadcast. However, an earlier report by Forbes speculated that the strike could have been carried out with Cessna-style small planes packed with explosives with added remote controls.

Additionally, Russians had recovered the wreckage of the Liutyi drone, a Ukrainian-produced unmanned aircraft behind numerous Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil refineries, in an attack on a nearby oil refinery.

https://twitter.com/EuromaidanPress/status/1775193817353753071

After the strike, Ukrainian intelligence refuted claims of Timur Shagivalayev, General Director of the Alabuga special economic zone in Tatarstan, home to the Shahed drone factory, of the drones containing NATO-made equipment.

He stressed that foreign-made weapons and equipment are not being used in Ukrainian strikes on Russian soil, and that the Ukrainian drone industry is developing “very dynamically.”

Ukrainian President Zelenskyy had defended the strike as well after the UN condemned the action, labeling it an attack on “civilian infrastructure.” “Russia understands nothing but force,” he said, noting that condemnations alone will not stop Russia’s war against Ukraine.

Shahed drone factory in Tatarstan

Russia used domestically-produced kamikaze drones to strike Ukrainian targets for the first time on 26 July; earlier, all the drones launched against Ukrainian civilian infrastructure and military targets were produced in Iran.

Russian media reported that the factory producing them, located in the Alabuga special economic zone, was reported to use underage labor by students from a nearby college.

Some of these students were reported by Russian media to have been injured in the strike:

Ukrainian attacks inside Russia

Ukraine has launched a series of attacks on Russian oil facilities, which, if persist, could disrupt Russia’s war machine by triggering a fuel crisis.

Expert: Ukraine’s persistent drone strikes could disrupt Russian war machine, trigger fuel deficit

Apart from oil facilities, Ukrainian drones have also targeted military production sites.

On 9 August 2023, a military factory was hit in Zagorsk, near Moscow.

On 1 October 2023, a Russian aircraft factory was hit in Smolensk.

On 30 December 2023, Ukrainian drones crashed into an explosives and microelectronics plant in Russia.

Related: 

You could close this page. Or you could join our community and help us produce more materials like this.  We keep our reporting open and accessible to everyone because we believe in the power of free information. This is why our small, cost-effective team depends on the support of readers like you to bring deliver timely news, quality analysis, and on-the-ground reports about Russia's war against Ukraine and Ukraine's struggle to build a democratic society. A little bit goes a long way: for as little as the cost of one cup of coffee a month, you can help build bridges between Ukraine and the rest of the world, plus become a co-creator and vote for topics we should cover next. Become a patron or see other ways to support. Become a Patron!

To suggest a correction or clarification, write to us here

You can also highlight the text and press Ctrl + Enter

Please leave your suggestions or corrections here



    Euromaidan Press

    We are an independent media outlet that relies solely on advertising revenue to sustain itself. We do not endorse or promote any products or services for financial gain. Therefore, we kindly ask for your support by disabling your ad blocker. Your assistance helps us continue providing quality content. Thank you!