Ukrainian Navy, security service confirm strike on Russian drone factory

The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), together with units of the Ukrainian Navy, confirmed that they targeted a Russian military-industrial facility in Taganrog, Rostov region, hitting the Atlant Aero plant, which specialises in producing unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for Russian forces.

The operation was carried out by the SBU’s Alpha Special Operations Centre in coordination with naval units, Caliber.Az cites SBU’s Telegram channel.

Strikes on the production buildings caused a series of powerful explosions and a subsequent fire.

Ukrainian officials noted that Atlant Aero handles the full design, manufacturing, and testing cycle for Molniya strike-reconnaissance drones and produces components for Orion UAVs used by Russian troops.

The SBU emphasised that the attack will reduce drone production and weaken Russia’s technical capacity to conduct reconnaissance-strike operations with unmanned aircraft.

“Every production line stopped is hundreds of drones that will not fly over Ukrainian cities, will not kill civilians, and will not destroy residential buildings,” the agency stated.

The SBU added that, together with Ukraine’s Security and Defence Forces, it will continue operations to diminish Russia’s military potential, and strikes on its military-industrial facilities will continue.

Earlier, Yuri Slyusar, governor of Russia’s Rostov region, confirmed the strike, saying air defences were repelling an aerial attack on Taganrog.

By Jeyhun Aghazada