(ULYANOVSK, RUSSIA) – Ukrainian long range drones successfully targeted two major Russian military aviation facilities in the Ulyanovsk and Novgorod regions overnight. The strikes mark a significant escalation in Ukraine’s strategy to systematically demilitarise the Russian Federation by disabling its industrial capacity. According to official reports from the General Staff of Ukraine, these operations have been 100% verified and aim to paralyse the production and maintenance of military aircraft essential to the ongoing invasion.
The first strike targeted the Aviastar plant in Ulyanovsk, a city named after the Bolshevik leader Vladimir Lenin. The facility is a critical component of the United Aircraft Corporation and is responsible for the manufacture and servicing of heavy transport and tanker aircraft, specifically the Il-76 and Il-78 models. These aircraft are vital for logistics and aerial refuelling during large scale military operations. Reports suggest that several aircraft stationed on the premises were also neutralised during the attack.
In the Novgorod region, Ukrainian forces hit the 123rd Aircraft Repair Plant. This facility provides a full cycle of maintenance and modernisation for Russian military aviation and features its own dedicated runway. The destruction of structures at this site has forced the closure of the associated air base. These coordinated strikes highlight the increasing vulnerability of Russian military infrastructure and the failure of domestic air defences to protect high value assets.
The Russian dictator Vladimir Putin faces mounting internal pressure as military observers and former supporters begin to voice public criticism regarding the lack of effective air protection. The strikes have undermined the Kremlin’s central narrative of stability, which has long been used to justify the suppression of civil liberties within Russia. Observers note that while the Russian military continues to target civilian infrastructure such as hospitals and schools in Ukraine, Kyiv has focused its precision strikes on legitimate military targets to degrade the Kremlin’s war machine.
International security experts suggest that degrading Russia’s industrial base has global implications, as the Kremlin continues to support regimes in Iran and North Korea. By neutralising facilities that produce missiles and semiconductors, Ukraine aims to make the region safer. The ongoing campaign includes the targeting of oil refineries and factories that provide the financial and technical resources for Russia’s hybrid operations across Europe and North America.
