Ukrainian drones target vital Russian chemical plants

Despite the increasing challenges posed by Russian air defenses near these sites, Ukrainians continue to conduct drone attacks on critical Russian industrial facilities.

The attacks typically occur at night, complicating the task for defenses like heavy machine gun (HMG) and ZU-23-2 operators positioned in these areas. Ukrainians employ various types of drones in their attacks, each capable of carrying around tens of pounds of explosives, typically guided by inertial and satellite navigation systems.

These are relatively simple drones designed to strike predetermined locations, similar to the Iranian Shahed drones used by Russia. While they are not a significant challenge for modern anti-air systems, those systems must be onsite, thus compelling both sides to deploy them deeper within their respective countries.

Ukrainians have developed an entire set of drones with varying ranges, both below and above 620 miles. The most well-known include "Beaver," UJ-22 "Airborne," and "Rubaka." All feature combustion engine designs with pusher propellers, adapted for low-altitude flight, making them difficult to detect by anti-aircraft radars (the radar horizon reduces radar range to about 25 miles unless positioned on a very high mast or airborne).

These drones have a drawback: a low speed of about 62 mph. Consequently, variants with a turbojet engine known as "Palyanytsia" have been developed, serving as an improvised substitute for cruise missiles, such as the Storm Shadow. They are much faster, giving the Russians less time to react and making them harder to shoot down for operators of systems like an HMG Kord or DSzK.

Following a series of attacks on Russian refineries and, more recently, on distilleries, Ukrainians have set their sights on an ammunition depot in Bryansk and the Aleksin Chemical Plant in Tula near Moscow. The first facility was likely selected after a review of satellite images or intelligence data, perhaps indicating a large shipment of missiles or rockets soon bound for the front lines.

Meanwhile, the Aleksin Chemical Plant is critical in producing components essential for manufacturing explosives and gunpowder. It's notable that Tula also hosts facilities like Tula Cartridge Works and NPO Bazalt, which are responsible for producing Russian anti-tank weapons (RPG grenade launchers), mortar and artillery shells, and aerial bombs. Reports also suggest that an electricity plant or a heating and power plant in Tula was hit.

Several fires erupted at the Aleksin Chemical Plant, releasing orange smoke and further explosions. It's reported that 13 drones struck the plant, potentially causing significant damage.

This poses a significant problem for the Russians, as maintaining continuity in Tula’s military manufacturing will require sourcing production materials from other locations or even internationally. However, the latter option is practically infeasible for Russia, with Iran, North Korea, and possibly China being the only potential suppliers. It is already noteworthy that Russia fulfills 60% of its ammunition needs through North Korean supplies.