Ukrainian drones hit a shell casing factory in occupied Alchevsk — Russia’s air defense was nowhere to be seen

Ukrainian drones struck the Alchevsk metallurgical plant in occupied Luhansk Oblast overnight on 30 March — hitting a facility Russia uses to produce large-caliber artillery shell casings — while witnesses reported that Russian air defenses made no attempt to intercept the attack. The same overnight operation reached deep into Russia, hitting a chemical plant in Tolyatti for the second time this month and striking Taganrog, Krasnodar, and other targets across four Russian regions.

Air defenses go dark over Alchevsk's shell casing factory

Ukrainian drones struck the Alchevsk metallurgical plant and a substation supplying it in the early hours of 30 March. Exilenova+ reported that locals wrote the drones were "falling nonstop" and that Russian forces "aren't even trying to shoot them down." Later footage from the scene showed the sky over Alchevsk lit red, with a massive fire burning at the plant. By morning, the 220/110/10 kV Alchevsk substation, supplying power to the plant and several neighborhoods, had burned out.

Ukraine's General Staff confirmed the strike, noting the plant "is involved in the production of large-caliber ammunition." After Russia's occupation of the city in 2014, the facility shifted from civilian steel production to manufacturing armored steel for military vehicles, artillery shell casings, and other output for Russia's military-industrial complex.

The complete absence of any interception attempt is consistent with a pattern Ukraine has been deliberately building. In the first half of March alone, Ukrainian forces destroyed 27 Russian air defense assets — most across occupied territories — S-400 launchers, Tor and Pantsir systems, and multiple radar stations, including several in Luhansk Oblast specifically. 

Other strikes across occupied territories

In the same operation, the General Staff reported a strike on a costly S-400 Triumf launcher near Hvardiiske in occupied Crimea. A Russian military train was struck near Novosvitlivka in occupied Luhansk Oblast. A drone control point was hit near Huliaipole in Zaporizhzhia Oblast. Personnel concentrations were struck near Berezove in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, Basivka in Sumy Oblast, and Huliaipole in Zaporizhzhia, the GenStaff said.

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Russia's Taganrog, Tolyatti, Krasnodar

In Russia's Rostov Oblast, Taganrog residents described the overnight attack as the most powerful drone assault on their city since the war began. Governor Yurii Sliusar claimed Russian air defenses shot down over 60 drones over the city and six districts of the oblast.

City authorities stated that one person was killed and eight were injured, with three industrial facilities, buildings, and vehicles damaged. Traffic was blocked near the aviation plant. The town is situated about 200 km away from the frontline.

Over 900 km from the war zone, in Tolyatti, Samara Oblast, Ukrainian drones struck the KuybyshevAzot chemical plant for the second time this month. OSINT Telegram channel Falcon Insight geolocated the strike. Astra reported, citing sources in Russia's emergency services, that drones damaged the plant's dry ammonia workshop, forcing a full evacuation and halting operations.

In Krasnodar, southern Russia, 400 km from the front, a drone, possibly under electronic warfare influence, struck a multi-story residential building, Astra reported.

A fire was also reported at the Sterlitamak thermal power plant in Russia's Bashkortostan — 1,400 km from Ukraine — though it is unclear whether it was caused by a strike.