Explosions Hit Russia’s Alabuga Drone Factory Producing Thousands of Shaheds

Explosions were reported on Wednesday, April 23 in Alabuga, Tatarstan, Russia’s largest special economic zone, where thousands of military drones have been produced.

According to Andriy Kovalenko, head of Ukraine’s Center for Countering Disinformation, the drone strike targeted a factory in the city of Yelabuga, where Russia makes Iranian-licensed kamikaze drones (“Shahed” in Farsi, “Geran-2” in Russian).

“Alabuga in Tatarstan – where Russians produce Shaheds/Gerans and various decoys, where they ramped up production – got a bit loud, and in some areas, quite successfully so,” Kovalenko said.

Local media reported that four UAVs were shot down over the city by Russian air defense systems. Videos of the incident were also shared online. According to the city’s mayor, there were no casualties or injuries.

Russia’s Ministry of Defense confirmed that “an airplane-type unmanned aerial vehicle was destroyed by air defenses over Yelabuga District.” They claimed that no collateral damage had been recorded.

Ukraine has not yet officially commented on its possible involvement in these strikes.

Due to the drone threat, airports in Kazan and Nizhnekamsk temporarily restricted operations, though those restrictions have now been lifted.

Kovalenko stated that in 2024, Russia produced over 6,000 Shahed drones and thousands of decoy UAVs in Alabuga. This year, the goal has been set to increase output to 8,000-10,000 combat drones and 15,000 decoy drones.

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Alabuga is the largest industrial special economic zone in Russia, located in Tatarstan near the cities of Yelabuga, Naberezhnye Chelny, and Nizhnekamsk. It spans nearly 4,000 hectares and is controlled by the Ministry of Land and Property Relations of the Republic of Tatarstan.

As of 2019, Alabuga accounted for more than half of the total revenue, a third of tax contributions, and nearly 40% of private investment among all special economic zones in Russia.