Ukraine attacks Shahed drone factory, oil refinery deep inside Russia

Ukrainian media, citing sources in Kyiv’s HUR military intelligence agency, reported that Ukraine attacked a Shahed-type drone production factory in Yelabuga. 

HUR employees, granted anonymity as they were not authorized to speak publicly, told POLITICO that they “can neither confirm nor deny that Ukrainian drones attacked a drone production factory and an oil refinery deep in Russian territory.”

In July 2023 AP reported that Iran was helping Russia to build a drone factory in Yelabuga, citing U.S. intelligence data released by the White House. Russia uses home-produced Shahed-type drones it calls “Geran” to attack Ukrainian energy and civilian infrastructure almost daily.

While Minnikhanov said the attacks on the production facilities brought no serious damage, the technological process of the enterprises was not disturbed and only six people were injured, Russian media and Telegram channels reported that a drone hit the Taneko oil refinery complex in Nizhnekamsk, posting photos of the blast at one of the oil rigs.

Two other drones attacked an industrial park in Yelabuga where Russian authorities used underaged students in the production of drones, according to an investigation by Idel.Realiii, the Tatar-Bashkir service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.

Alabuga’s press service said the drones hit dormitories, presenting it as if Ukraine hit civilian infrastructure, not the premises of a big defense and machinery industrial park that hosts more than 20 enterprises, including a drone factory.

This year, Ukraine increased production of drones that can fly over a distance of 1,000 km, Ukraine’s Minister of Digital Transformation Mykhailo Fedorov told German outlet Welt.

“Most of the drones that attacked Russian refineries have a range of 700 to 1,000 km, but now there are models that can fly more than 1,000 km,” Fedorov said.