Unidentified UAVs attacked the Shahed drone factory in Russia

2 April, 2024 UAV attack in Russian Tatarstan. April 2, 2024. Photos from a video on social media

On the morning of Tuesday, April 2, drones attacked factories in the cities of Yelabuga and Nizhnekamsk in Tatarstan, Russian Federation. Russian media released the videos and photos of the attack. Russian Telegram channels report that at about 6 a.m. local time, explosions blasted out on the territory of the Alabuga Special Economic Zone, which is located near the city of Yelabuga.

There are, among other things, two enterprises producing Russian military drones, including Shahed drones. This is the first attack on Russian Tatarstan since the beginning of the full-scale Russian-Ukrainian war. "This morning, the unmanned aerial vehicles attacked the republic's enterprises in Yelabuga and Nizhnekamsk," the head of the region, Rustam Minnikhanov, reported. At the same time, the Russian official claims that there was no serious damage, and the technological process of the enterprises was not disrupted. According to him, there is damage to the premises.

The aftermath of an attack by a UAV in Russian Tatarstan.

April 2, 2024. Photo from the Russian media

Photos and videos of eyewitnesses show a damaged two-story building with the inscription "Geron." It is known that this is one of the buildings of the hostel built for employees of the special economic zone and students of the Alabuga Polytech educational center in 2022. Six people have been reported injured.

Subsequently, a source in the Ukrainian intelligence services told RBC-Ukraine that it was an operation of the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine.

UAV attack in Russian Tatarstan. April 2, 2024. Photos from a video on social media

The target of the attack in Russian Tatarstan, located about 1,200 kilometers from Ukraine, was a factory that assembles Shahed drones, which Russians label as Geran-2.

According to an intelligence source, the strike caused "significant damage to production facilities."

Russian Tatarstan on the map

In 2024, a whole network of enterprises will be involved in the production of Iranian drones in Russia. The main contractors of the project are JSC SEZ PPT Alabuga and Alabuga Machine Building Company. They are responsible for the final result.

Alabuga Machinery's facilities at Alabuga SEZ, Sh-2, building 5/12

Alabuga Machinery's facilities, located in the Alabuga Special Economic Zone, manufacture the fuselage and engine and work with electronics.

Final assembly is also performed there.