Ukraine's drone attack cripples key Russian missile components factory
Illustrative photo: Factory producing drone components was set on fire in Russia (wikipedia.org)
A military plant in Cheboksary, Russia, has halted the production of components for Russian missiles, drones, and guided aerial bombs. After drone strikes, a fire broke out at the facility, informs Chuvashia Governor Oleg Nikolaev.
“Two UAVs fell on the territory of VNIIIR, JSC which led to the responsible decision to suspend production to ensure employee safety temporarily,” the official stated.
Russian Telegram channels are publishing footage of a large-scale fire at the military plant.
Military plant
VNIIIR-Progress manufactures satellite signal receivers of the Kometa/Kometa-M family, designed to counter electronic warfare systems.
Kometa modules are used in missiles (Kalibr, Kh-69, Iskander-M, Banderol) and drones (Harpia-A1, Orlan-10, Lastochka-M, Kartograf, Forpost, Orion).
In 2024, Russia's Channel One aired a program about the Kometa-M. It claimed that “Russian troops on the frontlines are successfully using FAB-250M-62/270 aerial bombs with universal planning and correction modules (UMPK). Targeting is aided by the interference-resistant Kometa-M antenna module, which enemy electronic warfare forces are unable to counter.”
VNIIIR-Progress is part of the ABS Electro production association. According to the association's website, VNIIIR-Progress has "many years of experience in developing and producing scientific and technical products, hardware and software systems, automation and control systems, electrical equipment, electronic component bases, electronic modules, and radio-electronic products."
Russian drones and missiles
Russia plans to manufacture hundreds of missiles in 2025 for attacks on Ukrainian territory, including 750 ballistic 9M723 missiles for the Iskander system and 560 Kh-101 cruise missiles.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has stated that Russian civilians are preparing to produce 300–350 drones per day. According to him, the Russian army can stockpile a thousand drones in just a few days, which can then be launched at Ukraine.
