Ukraine strikes key Russian drone component factory
Ukrainian forces carried out an attack on the sole factory in Russia that manufactures fibre optic cables for drones, reported the Institute for the Study of War (ISW). This could significantly impact the operational capabilities of the Russian army.
What do you need to know?
- Where did the attack occur? Ukrainian drones struck a fibre optic systems factory in Saransk, the capital of the Republic of Mordovia, located approximately 800 kilometres from the Ukrainian border.
- Why is it important? The factory is the only location in Russia producing fibre optic cables necessary for drone operations, which may limit the Russian army's capabilities.
- What happened after the attack? The Russian Ministry of Defence reported the downing of three drones, and the regional head confirmed the strike on the enterprise.
Ukrainian forces attacked the only factory in Russia producing fibre optic cables, crucial for the operation of drones used by the Russian army. Following the strike, a fire broke out on the premises.
They hit the only such factory in Russia
Andriy Kovalenko, head of the Ukrainian Centre for Counteracting Disinformation, confirmed that "unidentified drones" struck the factory in Saransk, roughly 800 kilometres from the Ukrainian border. He added that the enterprise produces materials for control, communication, and data transmission systems, including those for controlling drones.
ISW stated that they are unable to verify the extent of damage at the Saransk factory. However, the American think tank emphasises that this attack could limit Russia's operational capabilities in supplying fibre optics for drones.
FPV (first-person view) drones, used by both sides of the conflict, are equipped with fibre optics that deploy during flight. This makes them resistant to devices that track radio-electronic waves, although they have less manoeuvrability and are more susceptible to losing connectivity.
After the attack, the Russian Ministry of Defence reported the downing of three drones over the Republic of Mordovia, and regional chief Artyom Zdunov confirmed a drone struck the enterprise, but there were no casualties.
