The Ukrainian Armed Forces General Staff announced that on 7/7, Ukrainian drone forces, in coordination with other military units, attacked the Krasnozavodsky chemical plant in the Moscow region. "This facility produces pyrotechnic equipment and ammunition, including thermobaric warheads for Shahed-type long-range UAVs," the statement said.
The General Staff claimed the attack "caused a series of explosions" in Krasnozavodsk, located approximately 90 km from Moscow, and is assessing the specific damage.
The General Staff released a photo of smoke rising from a wooded area, while a video, apparently recorded by locals, appears to show a UAV diving and exploding. Neither the photo nor the video shows the exact location of the impact or the extent of the damage.
Footage purportedly showing a Ukrainian UAV crashing near the Krasnozavodsky plant on 7/7. Video: Euromaidan Press
Ukrainian media reported that the country used domestically produced FP-1 UAVs in the attack, which have a maximum range of 1,600 km and can carry a 120 kg warhead.
United24, a Ukrainian government fundraising platform, stated that the Krasnozavodsky plant is located within Moscow's outer defense perimeter. "This area remains a significant part of the defensive infrastructure, but there is no indication that air defenses were activated to intercept the UAV," United24 said.
The Russian Ministry of Defense previously reported intercepting a total of 91 Ukrainian UAVs from the evening of 6/7 to the morning of 7/7, including eight shot down over the Moscow region.
Ukraine has recently claimed attacks on multiple targets within Russian territory using suicide drones.
On 5/7, the Ukrainian Armed Forces General Staff announced an attack on the Borisoglebsk airbase in the Voronezh region, home to Su-34, Su-35S, and Su-30SM squadrons, hitting at least one glide bomb storage facility and a training aircraft.
Ukrainian UAVs also targeted an electronic warfare component manufacturing plant in the Russian city of Cheboksary on the same day, but the results are unclear.
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The alleged explosion in the Krasnozavodsk area of Russia on 7/7. Photo: Ukrainian Armed Forces General Staff |
The alleged explosion in the Krasnozavodsk area of Russia on 7/7. Photo: Ukrainian Armed Forces General Staff
Moscow has increasingly deployed large numbers of suicide drones in coordinated air attacks against its neighbor in recent months. The Russian military has also begun using Geran-2 drones for reconnaissance and target designation, combined with tactical strikes near the front lines, rather than solely targeting Ukrainian military installations and strategic infrastructure as before.
Major Robert Brovdi, commander of the Ukrainian Drone Force, warned last week that Russia could deploy 1,000 or more Geran-2 long-range suicide drones daily in the near future. He acknowledged that this type of UAV is inexpensive but poses a threat to various targets deep within enemy territory and is constantly being improved in ways that the Ukrainian military cannot predict.
Pham Giang (According to Ukrainska Pravda, United24, AFP)
