Ukraine strikes Russian drone warehouse in a bold attack on Yeysk

The Ukrainian Navy has released photos showing the aftermath of an attack coordinated with their security services on a warehouse in Yeysk, located in the Russian Krasnodar Krai. According to the Defense Romania portal, the Ukrainians targeted a facility where the Russians were storing Shahed-136 drones.

The Ukrainian armed forces, in cooperation with security services, conducted a large-scale bombardment on Russian strategic facilities on the night of June 20th. Defense Romania notes that the Ukrainians struck four oil refineries in Russian territory as well as radar stations.

In one of the recent attacks, the Russians reported losses in Krasnodar Krai, specifically in Yeysk by the Sea of Azov. In this area, the Ukrainian forces hit a warehouse that, as it turns out, was storing Shahed-136 unmanned aerial vehicles (known in Russia as Geran-2).

The warehouse also housed a command and communication point for the pilots of these drones, which are launched from Krasnodar Krai towards Ukraine. Specific losses are not known, as the Russians have not disclosed how many drones were damaged during the bombardment. However, a satellite photo confirms that the Ukrainian strike was accurate.

The Shaheds stored in the damaged Yeysk facility are weapons originating from Iran and manufactured by Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Industries Corporation. In Russia, the Shahed-136 is known as Geran-2.

The history of this drone goes back to the 1980s when South African authorities decided to build an uncrewed aerial vehicle to combat hostile radar stations. Due to the ongoing Rhodesian war, they decided to sell the drone's technical documentation to Iran, which led to the development of Shahed-131 and its enlarged variant, Shahed-136.

The currently produced Shaheds, used by the Russians, are powered by a copy of the German Limbach L550E engine, known as the Mado MD550. The engine generates approximately 50 HP and accelerates the drone to about 115 mph. According to some sources, the Geran-2 can reach a range of up to 1,200 miles, although it is more likely around 620 miles.

These drones measure approximately 11.5 feet in length and have a wingspan of 8.2 feet, weighing around 440 lbs. The warhead alone accounts for about 88 lbs. Notably, at the beginning of 2024, the Ukrainians intercepted a new version of the Iranian Shahed-136, which confirmed the presence of Russian Kometa receivers. These receivers are designed specifically for small drones and limit the effects of jamming by enemy electronic systems. This discovery suggests that the Russians may be independently modernizing Iranian unmanned aerial vehicles.