Drones struck multiple Russian regions early Tuesday, Jan. 6, triggering explosions and fires at industrial sites in Penza and the Lipetsk region, while Russian authorities claimed to have intercepted more than 120 UAVs overnight.
Russia’s Shot Telegram channel, citing eyewitnesses, reported that five to seven explosions were heard in Penza after 2 a.m. (23:00 Jan 5 UTC).
Residents said they saw bright flashes in the sky and heard the sound of drones flying overhead.
Footage circulating on social media appears to show a fire. Local Telegram channels initially claimed that the Penza Bearing Plant had been hit.
However, several OSINT channels later suggested that the strike may have hit a different site.
According to the analysis by Russian outlet Astra, the attack targeted the territory of CJSC GATP-2 (Cargo Transport Enterprise No. 2) in Penza’s Shuist neighborhood. The company specializes in leasing and managing non-residential real estate, including properties it owns or rents.
Astra analyzed one eyewitness video and determined it was filmed from Klary Tsetkin Street, approximately 1.2-1.3 kilometers (less than a mile away) from the explosion site.
The outlet said the drone struck an object located at Druzhby Street, 10A, within the GATP-2 complex, where multiple companies lease industrial premises. Astra added that it is not possible to determine the exact impact point from the available footage.
While residents also reported an attack on the Penza Bearing Plant, Astra said the facility is located 2.5 kilometers (about 1.5 miles) from the explosion shown in the video.
Penza Governor Oleg Melnichenko said that electronic warfare systems suppressed five additional drones over the city. Emergency services were deployed to the crash sites.
In the Lipetsk region, drones reportedly struck an industrial facility in the Usmansky district, triggering a fire. Regional governor Igor Artamonov confirmed the incident without naming the facility.
“After a drone crash, a fire broke out at an industrial facility in the Usmansky district. According to preliminary information, there were no casualties,” Artamonov wrote.
Based on analysis of eyewitness videos, Astra reported that the fire occurred at Usmanskaya Naftobaza LLC, an oil depot located in the village of Streletskiye Khutory.
Usmanskaya Naftobaza specializes in the storage, sale, and transportation of petroleum products.
Explosions were also reported in Sterlitamak, in Russia’s Republic of Bashkortostan. Videos posted on social media captured the sound of blasts, though the exact target remains unclear.
The city is home to a major petrochemical plant that has previously come under attack.
Separately, Russian Telegram channels shared footage of a drone striking a residential building in Tver. Acting regional governor Vitaly Korolev said that debris from a downed UAV hit a ninth-floor apartment, sparking a fire.
“The fire was extinguished. One person died. Residents of neighboring apartments were evacuated,” Korolev wrote.
Russia’s Defense Ministry claimed that air defenses shot down 129 Ukrainian drones overnight over Russian territory and occupied Crimea, including 29 over the Bryansk region.
Kyiv Post sources within the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) later confirmed that drones operated by the Alpha unit struck the Gerkon Plus oil depot in the settlement of Streletskiye Khutora, in Russia’s Lipetsk region.
The source said the attack triggered an intense fire at the facility, which supplies oil products to three regions: Tambov, Voronezh and Lipetsk.
In addition, the SBU reportedly used long-range drones to strike a missile and artillery arsenal in the Kostroma region.
A large-scale fire broke out at Arsenal No. 100 of Russia’s Main Missile and Artillery Directorate (GRAU), located in the Neysky district of the Kostroma region.
According to the source, powerful explosions were heard throughout the night as stored ammunition detonated, prompting local authorities to begin evacuating residents from nearby settlements.
The arsenal was described as a key facility for Russian forces, supplying ammunition to lower-level depots in Russia’s western and central regions.