Ukrainian drones target essential Russian chemical plants in bold strikes
On November 9 and 10, Ukrainians launched an attack using dozens of drones on critical chemical plants in Tula, near Moscow, and an ammunition depot in Bryansk, Russia.
Ukraine continues its drone attacks on significant Russian industrial facilities despite the increasing difficulty posed by Russian air defences placed near these sites.
The attacks occur at night, complicating the task for defence operators such as those managing heavy machine guns (HMG) and ZU-23-2 guns stationed around the area. Ukrainians deploy various types of drones in their assaults, carrying approximately 20 kilograms of explosives, typically guided by inertial and satellite navigation.
These drones are designed to strike pre-determined targets, much like the Iranian Shahed drones used by Russia. While not challenging for modern anti-air systems, these systems must be onsite, prompting both sides to deploy them deep within their countries.
Ukraine has developed a range of such drones with both short and long ranges, some exceeding 1,000 kilometres. The most well-known are "Beaver," UJ-22 "Airborne," and "Rubaka." All these models use combustion engines with a pusher propeller, adapted for low-altitude flight, making them hard to detect by anti-aircraft radars (the radar horizon limits detection range to about 40 kilometres unless radars are mounted on a tall mast or airborne).
The limitation of these drones is their low speed, approximately 100 km/h. To address this, turbojet engine variants known as "Palyanytsia" have been developed, serving as an improvised alternative to cruise missiles like the Storm Shadow. These variants are much faster, reducing Russian reaction time and making them harder to shoot down by weapons operators such as the HMG Kord or DSzK.
Target of Ukrainian drone attacks — crucial chemical plants for Russia
Following a series of attacks on Russian refineries and, more recently, on distilleries, Ukraine has now targeted an ammunition depot in Bryansk and the Aleksin Chemical Plant in Tula, near Moscow. The first facility was likely chosen after analyzing satellite images or intelligence data indicating a large delivery of missiles or rockets soon to be dispatched to the front lines.
The Aleksin Chemical Plant is involved in producing components essential for manufacturing explosives and gunpowder. Notably, Tula is also home to the Tula Cartridge Works and NPO Bazalt, manufacturers of Russian anti-tank weapons (RPG family grenade launchers), mortar and artillery shells, and aerial bombs. Reportedly, an electricity plant or heating and power plant in Tula was also hit.
Several fires erupted at the Aleksin Chemical Plant, emitting orange smoke and further explosions. Reports indicate that 13 drones struck the plant, which suggests significant potential damage.
This development is a critical issue for Russia, as maintaining continuity in Tula’s military production will necessitate sourcing production precursors from other locations or even overseas. The latter is practically impossible for Russia, with only Iran, North Korea, and possibly China being viable sources. It is already evident that Russia sources 60% of its ammunition needs from North Korea.
