Ukraine launched a drone strike overnight on a key Russian military explosives plant, the Sverdlov factory in the city of Dzerzhinsk, located in Nizhny Novgorod Oblast, about 750 kilometers from the Ukrainian border. The Sverdlov plant is one of Russia’s largest manufacturers of military explosives, producing munitions and warheads for Russia’s armed forces. The factory, which is under U.S. and EU sanctions, was a significant target in Kyiv’s ongoing campaign to disrupt Russia’s military supply chain.
According to Ukrainian military officials, drones hit the factory, which manufactures critical components such as artillery munitions and aerial bombs used by Russian forces. Ukrainian sources also claimed to have targeted storage infrastructure at a Lipetsk region military airfield, resulting in fires. However, the extent of the damage at these sites remains unclear.
The strike was part of a broader drone offensive against multiple regions in western Russia. Russia’s Ministry of Defense reported that its air defense systems intercepted 110 Ukrainian drones over several areas, including the Kursk, Moscow, and Lipetsk regions. Despite these defenses, four firefighters stationed at the Sverdlov plant were injured by shrapnel during the attack, according to Nizhny Novgorod Governor Gleb Nikitin.
Footage shared on Russian social media appeared to show explosions and air defense activity over Dzerzhinsk, though these reports could not be independently verified. The Russian Defense Ministry confirmed that eight drones were destroyed over Nizhny Novgorod.
Drones of the SBU and the Defense Forces hit the largest factory for the production of explosives in the Russian Federation
Last night, SBU, SSO and GUR drones struck the Sverdlov plant in the city of Dzerzhynsk, Nizhny Novgorod Oblast. It is a component of the Russian… pic.twitter.com/JpXNItJhXJ
— John Spectator (@johnspectator) October 20, 2024
This incident marks a significant escalation in Ukraine’s long-range drone capabilities, as strikes deep into Russian territory are still relatively uncommon. Kyiv has increasingly targeted Russian military and energy infrastructure within Russia, in efforts to weaken Moscow’s war effort. Meanwhile, Russia has continued its aerial assaults on Ukraine, including a ballistic missile strike that wounded 17 people in the Ukrainian city of Kryvyi Rih, and attacks on energy infrastructure in the Sumy region.
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