Ukrainian forces have struck a key Russian defence industry site deep inside the country, hitting a drone manufacturing plant in a precision overnight attack, officials have confirmed.
The facility, located in Taganrog, was identified as the Atlant-Aero plant, a major producer of strike and reconnaissance drones used by Moscow’s military.
A fire broke out at the site following the strike, according to Ukraine’s General Staff, the Kyiv Independent reported.
The plant is understood to manufacture Molniya-type drones and key components for the Orion unmanned aerial vehicle, which can carry significant payloads, including guided bombs and missile systems. Ukrainian officials said the attack is expected to degrade Russia’s drone production capacity and limit its ability to target civilian infrastructure.
The strike forms part of a broader campaign against Russian military logistics and supply lines. Ukrainian forces also reported hitting an ammunition depot near Trudove in occupied Zaporizhzhia Oblast, alongside logistics hubs in Mangush, Topolyne and Mariupol in the Donetsk Oblast.
Fuel storage facilities were also targeted near Novopoltavka in Zaporizhzhia, suggesting a coordinated effort to disrupt multiple layers of Russia’s war infrastructure.
The full extent of the damage remains unclear. Russian authorities said three people were injured in the Taganrog strike but described the damage only as affecting commercial infrastructure. Rostov region governor Yuri Slyusar said a warehouse had caught fire, without confirming whether the site was military.
Separate reports indicated that Ukrainian drones also struck a seaport in Russia’s Krasnodar region. Footage shared by Russian social media channels appeared to show smoke rising from a port in Yeysk, though officials said only that drone debris had fallen near the area, damaging nearby homes.
Ukraine has increasingly targeted military and industrial sites inside Russia and in occupied territories, aiming to weaken Moscow’s ability to sustain its war effort. The latest strikes suggest Kyiv is continuing to expand both the range and intensity of its operations.
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