Ukrainian drone strike ignites fire at Russian drone factory
On Wednesday, 28th May, Ukrainian drones attacked the Kronstadt factory in Dubna, located in the northern part of the Moscow region. The facility specialises in manufacturing unmanned systems, including Orion drones and Banderol missiles, according to the Ukrainian portal Defense Express.
Ukrainian long-range drones attacked the Kronstadt factory in Dubna, resulting in a fire. This facility, situated north of Moscow, is known for producing Orion drones and Banderol cruise missiles. The attack occurred early in the morning on 28th May.
Ukrainian drone hits Russian facility
Residents of Dubna captured on video the moment when Ukrainian Liutyi drones precisely hit the industrial facility bearing the Kronstadt logo. Following the strike, a significant fire broke out in one of the workshops, and the building's external metal coating was torn apart, suggesting an explosion occurred inside.
The Kronstadt factory in Dubna is a modern facility, launched in 2022. Defense Express explains that its location was chosen to leverage the potential arising from the presence of nearby facilities such as Dubna Machine-Building, which Kronstadt acquired in 2020. Nearby is also MKB Raduga, where Kh-101, Kh-59, Kh-69, and the fast Kh-32 missiles are produced.
Theoretically, Dubna, due to its strategic significance, should be well-protected by air defence systems. However, footage from the scene reveals a lack of adequate systems to counter air threats.
Banderol Missile
Let's recall that the S8000 Banderol missile, which is assembled at the Dubna facility, has been prepared for launch from Orion drones (also built in Dubna). In the long term, the weapon is intended to be carried by Mi-28N helicopters.
The weight of the mentioned weapon is approximately 200 kg, with the warhead weighing over 110 kg, of which the explosive material itself weighs about 50 kg. The fuel reserve is about 59 kg. The dimensions of the S8000 Banderol missile are approximately 5 metres in length, and the wingspan of the folding wings reaches 2 metres. The cruising speed of this missile is 520 km/h. However, the guidance system for directing the ammunition to the target is unknown.
