Ukraine’s military confirmed on April 23 that it launched a long-range strike against a Russian facility producing combat drones, located more than 1,000 kilometers (621 miles) from Ukraine’s border. The targeted facility is situated in the Alabuga Special Economic Zone in Russia’s Republic of Tatarstan, an area known for producing Shahed-style drones, frequently used by Russia in its ongoing attacks on Ukrainian cities and infrastructure.
The attack was carried out by Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces in coordination with other branches of the military. The Ukrainian General Staff stated that the facility manufactures up to 300 Shahed drones and their Russian-made variants, Gerans, each day. These drones have played a crucial role in Russia’s aerial assault on Ukraine, particularly in targeting civilian areas and critical infrastructure.
Independent news channel Astra reported earlier in the day that a Ukrainian long-range drone strike had hit Alabuga, sharing footage of what appeared to be a drone being shot down. However, the Russian Defense Ministry acknowledged only that one Ukrainian airplane-type drone had been downed in Tatarstan at around 12:20 p.m. local time, without referencing Alabuga specifically.
The General Staff of Ukraine confirmed that the attack resulted in “confirmed hits and explosions in the target area,” though the full extent of the damage is still being assessed. This strike marks one of Ukraine’s deepest incursions into Russian territory since the war began in 2022, with previous deep strikes occurring as far as 1,800 kilometers (1,118 miles) into Russia.
The strike was described as a “justified response” by Ukraine, aimed at a strategic military site supporting Russia’s continued aggression and targeting civilians in Ukraine. Andrii Kovalenko, an official at Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council, revealed that over 6,000 Shahed-type drones were produced at the facility last year, alongside thousands of decoy drones used to overwhelm Ukrainian air defenses.
Russian forces have been launching hundreds of drones nearly every night against Ukraine, with intensified attacks on civilian infrastructure. This escalation comes amid Russia’s rejection of a U.S.-backed proposal for a 30-day ceasefire, a proposal that Kyiv insists must include a halt to such attacks on civilian targets. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has called for a temporary freeze on long-range drone and missile strikes, but Kremlin officials have dismissed this suggestion.
