Russia reports drone attack in Tatarstan near Shahed production facility
This was reported by BBC Russian Service, according to Ukrinform.
The Russian Ministry of Defense stated that air defenses had allegedly intercepted and destroyed a drone over the Republic of Tatarstan around 12:20 p.m. local time.
Russian Telegram channels shared footage of the “air defense operation”.
Reports indicate that one or more drones were intercepted near Yelabuga, where the Alabuga special economic zone hosts a factory for Shahed drone production. This area has been targeted by drone strikes in the past.
As a result of the reported attack, flights at Kazan and Nizhnekamsk airports were suspended.
Andrii Kovalenko, head of Ukraine's Center for Countering Disinformation at the National Security and Defense Council, commented on Telegram that the situation in Alabuga was “somewhat loud and somewhat successful in some places.” He noted that over 6,000 Shahed/Geran drones and thousands of decoy drones were produced at the Alabuga facility in 2024.
Kovalenko added that Russia aims to increase production this year to between 8,000 and 10,000 Shahed/Geran drones and approximately 15,000 decoy drones.
As Ukrinform reported, the Ukrainian Defense Ministry's Main Intelligence Directorate (HUR) said last year that a warehouse in Russia, containing $16 million worth of components for Shahed attack drones, was destroyed.
