Russia confirmed that drones targeted an industrial area on Sunday, with Ukraine reportedly launching an attack on a major Russian explosives factory, located some 750 kilometers from the Ukrainian border. However, Moscow claims to have intercepted all the drones, preventing significant damage.
A source from Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) told AFP that the drones hit the Sverdlov explosives plant in Dzerzhinsk, near the Russian city of Nizhny Novgorod. The Russian authorities acknowledged the attack but insisted it had been thwarted. “Air defense and electronic warfare equipment repelled a drone attack on the Dzerzhinsk industrial zone,” said Gleb Nikitin, the governor of the Nizhny Novgorod region, via Telegram. He added that four firefighters sustained minor injuries from shrapnel.
The Sverdlov factory, one of Russia’s largest producers of military-grade explosives, has been sanctioned by both the U.S. and the European Union. Although social media footage showed a large explosion and drones being shot down by air defense systems, AFP was unable to immediately verify these images. Ukraine has not disclosed the extent of any potential damage to the factory’s production capabilities.
A Surge in Drone Warfare
The Russian Defense Ministry previously reported that 110 Ukrainian drones had been shot down overnight in various regions, including one over Moscow. Ukrainian forces have increasingly relied on drone attacks targeting Russian energy and military facilities, which Kiev views as critical to disrupting Moscow’s invasion efforts.
Russia’s Retaliatory Strikes on Ukraine
In response, Russia launched nighttime airstrikes against Ukraine, hitting residential areas and injuring 17 people in Kryvyi Rih, while damaging buildings and vehicles, according to Kiev officials. Additionally, a power facility in the Sumy region of northeastern Ukraine was also struck, temporarily leaving more than 37,000 residents without electricity, as reported by the local energy operator.
Ukraine is now preparing for what could be its harshest winter yet in the ongoing war, with Russia systematically targeting its energy infrastructure. In previous winters, millions of Ukrainians faced prolonged power outages and freezing conditions due to Moscow’s attacks on energy facilities.
Kazan Airport Temporarily Shut Down
In Russia, aviation authorities announced the temporary closure of Kazan airport, located roughly 1,000 kilometers from the Ukrainian border, citing air safety concerns. Though no specific reason was provided by Rosaviatsia, drone attacks have previously led to similar restrictions.
Putin to Host BRICS Summit Amid Rising Tensions
Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin is set to meet with leaders from China, Brazil, and Turkey later this week in the same city for the BRICS summit. This gathering marks the largest in-country meeting of Moscow’s allies and partners since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
