Three dead as Ukrainian drones strike defence industry plant in Russian city of Izhevsk

Ukrainian drones have struck an industrial facility in the city of Izhevsk in Udmurtia in the Volga region, the head of the Russian republic Alexander Brechalov wrote on Telegram on Tuesday.

Brechalov said the drone strike had left three people dead and 35 injured. While Brechalov did not name the company affected, Telegram channel Astra cited eyewitnesses who said that the drones had targeted the Kupol electromechanical plant.

The Kupol plant is part of the larger Almaz-Antey conglomerate, which produces air defence systems and attack drones using Chinese engines and components. The company is under EU and US sanctions.

Andriy Kovalenko, the head of Ukraine’s National Security and Defence Council, also mentioned the drone strike on the Kupol plant, noting that Russia produced the Tor missile systems and the Garpiya attack drones for the Russian army there. However, Kovalenko did not immediately claim that Ukraine was responsible.

Izhevsk, which is 1,300km from the Ukrainian border, was last targeted in November when a drone strike damaged another factory known to produce air defence systems and radar components, the Kyiv Independent reported, the first such Ukrainian drone attack on the region since the war began.