Shahed drone factory goes up in flames in Tatarstan as Alabuga facility burns
Russian firefighter (Photo: Russian media)
A major fire broke out in the Alabuga Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in Tatarstan, where production facilities linked in particular to the manufacturing of strike drones are located, according to the Telegram channel ASTRA.
Fire in Alabuga: What’s known
On Friday, November 28, Russian local media reported a serious fire at a battery warehouse in the Alabuga SEZ in Tatarstan. The blaze covered an area of about 1,000 square meters.
According to regional emergency services, more than 300 people left the premises without assistance from rescuers, and the evacuation was carried out in an orderly manner.
Fire crews were working at the scene, tasked with containing the blaze across a large area due to the nature of the stored materials.
According to preliminary information, the fire broke out on the grounds of one of the facilities used in assembling unmanned systems, including Shahed-type drones that Russia actively employs in strikes on Ukraine’s civilian infrastructure.
The incident is one of the most significant in recent months at industrial sites in Tatarstan, as it affected a facility performing strategic tasks for Russia’s defense sector.
Ukraine is working to halt Russia’s production of strike drones
Ukrainian Defense Forces have carried out strikes on Russian facilities involved in producing components for Kalibr missiles and Shahed drones, including the VNIIRE-Progress plant in Cheboksary, which manufactures navigation equipment and parts for cruise and ballistic missiles.
The General Staff reported that the attack took place on the night of November 26 and was part of a series of precision strikes on key elements of Russia’s defense infrastructure.
In addition, Ukraine has launched serial production of the Octopus interceptor drone, designed to counter Russia’s Shahed drones. The technology has already been transferred to initial manufacturers, which will accelerate the deployment of these systems to protect Ukrainian airspace.
Meanwhile, Russian forces are attempting to adopt Ukrainian drone tactics and are testing operator-guided versions of the Shahed to use against Ukrainian aircraft.
The 412th Nemesis Brigade, together with the Ukrainian World Congress and the Prytula Foundation, has announced a major defense fundraiser for 1 billion UAH aimed at purchasing interceptors to counter Russia’s daily Shahed attacks.
