Russian oblasts suffer large-scale nighttime drone attack, aircraft factory hit in Smolensk
Pravda Ukraine
Drones attacked military and critical infrastructure facilities in Russia on the night of 20-21 January, including the Smolensk Aviation Plant which manufactures Su-25 attack aircraft.
Source: Andrii Kovalenko, Head of the Center for Countering Disinformation at Ukraine’s National Security and Defence Council; local Telegram channels; Russian governors
Quote from Kovalenko: “This plant [the Smolensk Aviation Plant] is closely connected with other businesses of the Russian defence industrial base, supplying components or involved in collaboration to create modern aircraft systems.”
Details: Several Russian Telegram channels reported that drones attacked an oil refinery in the city of Yartsevo in Smolensk Oblast on the night of 20-21 January. Smolensk Oblast Governor Vasily Anokhin claimed that air defence systems were responding and drones had been downed.
It was also reported that drones had targeted an oil refinery in the town of Liski in Voronezh Oblast.
The Russian Defence Ministry claimed to have destroyed 55 Ukrainian drones over the territories of six oblasts.
“The 22 [drones were downed] over the territory of Bryansk Oblast, 12 over Rostov Oblast, 10 over Smolensk, 6 UAVs over Voronezh Oblast, 4 over Saratov Oblast and one over Kursk Oblast,” the Russian Defence Ministry stated.
The BAZA Telegram channel reported on 21 January that the threat of drone attacks remained in Kazan and Ulyanovsk, where local airports had implemented the Kovyor (Carpet) plan, causing delays to departures and arrivals. [A Kovyor plan is an airport operational safety procedure for airport services and personnel when an unidentified object appears in the sky – ed.]
Background:
- On 15 January, authorities in Russia’s Voronezh Oblast reported a drone attack on an oil depot.
- On 20 January, authorities in Russia’s Kaluga Oblast reported a drone attack targeting Kazan. The city’s airport suspended operations and falling debris set fire to premises belonging to a business.
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