Vladimir Putin has been dealt a blow after Ukraine launched an overnight missile attack on a huge Russian plant making killer drones. Three people are reported injured in the devastating attack on the Atlant Aero plant in Taganrog.
This factory is important for Putin’s ability to make drones. It produces components for the Molniya-1 and Molniya-2 kamikaze and FPV unmanned aircraft, as well as the powerful Orion drone, which were used in the war against Ukraine. It is also the key to Putin’s electronic warfare capability. It is the latest plant to be hit amid an apparent lack of Russian air defenses. Ukraine’s defense forces confirmed the attack on the Atlanta Aero drone plant and warehouse with domestically produced Neptune missiles. “The successful work of our military means the reduction of the enemy’s production capacity and hundreds of drones that destroy our cities and villages, killing civilians,” it said in a statement. The Ukrainian Armed Forces Navy is systematically reducing the enemy’s technological capability, and every such attack is a step towards our security and victory.”
The blow came on a weekend of misery for Putin after Ukraine shot down three Russian warships in a dramatic drone strike over occupied Crimea – and spelled more trouble for the Kremlin.
According to the SBU security service, two large landing naval ships, Yamal and Azov – worth a total of £200 million – were attacked.
Another unidentified military ship was also attacked in a “complex” operation.
The Grechonok-class anti-sabotage boat also suffered “possible damage”, the SBU said.
Separately, Ukraine took out an £11 million Russian incendiary TOS-1A Solntsepec flamethrower in the Zaporizhia region.
Ukraine attacked three major Russian oil facilities, causing fires in Novokuybyshevsk, Syzran and Kazachya Bay in Crimea.
The Baltic Sea port of Vysotsk, an oil and LNG export hub near the Finnish border, was also affected.
A 16-year-old boy was killed and at least four others were injured in a Russian drone strike in Chernihiv, Ukraine today, Russia said.
