Ukrainian drones strike key drone factory in Yelabuga, Russia

Rustam Minnikhanov, the Kremlin-installed head of Tatarstan, told state-run RIA Novosti that one person was killed and another was critically injured when drone debris struck a checkpoint at a local factory.

Russian Telegram channels reported that the Alabuga factory—known for assembling Shahed-type kamikaze drones—was likely the intended target. Videos shared online show smoke rising from areas near the facility, though official confirmation is lacking.

Local monitoring groups had warned of potential drone threats earlier in the day. One video circulating online appears to show an incoming drone.

Airports in Izhevsk, Kazan, and Nizhnekamsk reportedly implemented the “Kover” emergency plan following the attack.

This is not the first time Yelabuga has been hit. The first reported Ukrainian drone strike occurred in April 2024 and was attributed to Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence (HUR). The city was also targeted in April, May, and now June 2025.