Over 1,000 km from Ukraine: Drones strike Shahed plant in Russia, media reports on Ukrainian intelligence operation

Sources in the Ukrainian Intelligence told RBC-Ukraine, Hromadske, and OBOZ.UA.

It is noted that in Tatarstan, a plant for assembling Shahed kamikaze drones, which Russians label as Geran-2, was attacked. According to media reports, this operation was carried out by the Main Intelligence Directorate of Ukraine's Ministry of Defense.

The source also notes that the strike caused significant damage to production facilities.

Meanwhile, the Tatarstan authorities confirm the drone attack on the companies in Yelabuga and Nizhnekamsk on the morning of April 2. According to them, there was no serious damage, and the technological process of the enterprises was not disrupted.

However, in Yelabuga, there are already seven victims due to the destruction of the building.

Russian publics are sharing a video on social media that shows a drone crashing into the building, resulting in a large explosion.

Officially, the local authorities do not name the attacked businesses. However, it is reported that in Yelabuga, a complex of hostels built for employees of the special economic zone (SEZ) and students of the local college Alabuga Polytech in 2022 was damaged.

Pro-Kremlin media claim that one UAV hit the plant and two hit the hostel.

Drones attacked Tatarstan oil refinery complex

In addition to the Shahed plant, drones attacked the Tatarstan oil refinery complex in Nizhnekamsk. According to the Baza TV channel, a drone hit one of the installations. A fire broke out at the refinery.

Ukrainian journalist Andriy Tsapliyenko reported that "contacts in the intelligence community confirmed that the nighttime explosions at the Tatarstan refinery was a joint operation of the SBU and the HUR. 

A Ukrainian long-range drone hit the primary oil refining unit at the Nizhnekamsk refinery, which caused a fire. 

The capacity of this unit was over 8 million tons of oil, which is 3% of the total annual refining capacity of the Russian Federation. In addition, this plant is one of the largest refineries in Russia.

It is worth noting that this is the first drone attack on the territory of Tatarstan, 1,000 kilometers from Ukraine, since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion.

• The day before, Minister of Digital Transformation Mykhailo Fedorov said that in 2024, Ukraine increased the production of long-range strike drones tenfold compared to last year. Ukraine now has drones that can fly over 1,000 kilometers.