European defence officials believe Russia plans to fire thousands of the relatively cheap Shahed drones every night as production increases. The new dark paintwork on the Russian models is believed to reflect an increasing focus on night attacks.
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Other footage released in Russia on Sunday showed the drones being launched from the back of what appear to be new model American-made Dodge Ram 1500 pick-up trucks, seemingly in violation of sanctions.
The video of the factories emphasised the plant’s in-house production lines, showing metal foundries and a blacksmith’s workshop, as well as assembly stations and testing facilities.
It said Putin had noted the set-up at Yelabuga, suggesting it should be replicated across the country to reduce Russia’s dependence on imports for manufacturing.
Russia is now believed to be producing more than 5000 long-range drones a month, with up to 18,000 units built at the Yelabuga plant in the first half of 2025 alone.
A Kremlin-linked think tank claimed last month that drone production had jumped by 16.9 per cent in May.
Geran-2 drones on a truck during the Victory Day military parade in Moscow in May.Credit: AP
More than 500 drones and missiles are regularly fired at Ukraine in night-time attacks, and analysts believe the Kremlin is close to being able to pound its neighbour with more than 1000 in a single day.
On July 9, Russia carried out its largest attack yet, with 741 missiles and drones launched at Ukrainian towns and cities.
Putin hopes that with repeated onslaughts, he can wear down morale among Ukraine’s population, deplete Kyiv’s defences and undermine the West’s appetite to maintain its support.
Geran-2 drones are relatively cheap to produce, costing between $53,000 and $76,000 a unit.
Ukraine’s Western-supplied air defence systems are much more expensive, as a single Patriot missile interceptor costs more than $8 million.
Christian Freuding, a senior German army officer, warned this week that Ukraine and its allies would need to develop countermeasures costing $3000 to $6000 a unit for its air defence to be economically viable, given Russia’s growing attacks.
Freuding also said he believed Russia was aiming to be able to launch 2000 drones a night at Ukraine, which would pose a serious challenge to air defences.
The Yelabuga site was opened in 2023 and is in the Alabuga special economic zone near Kazan, a high-tech manufacturing hub. If needed, drone technology can be shipped directly from Iran via the Caspian Sea as Yelabuga sits on the Kama River, which flows into the Volga.
Though more than 1600 kilometres from the Ukrainian border, the facility appears to have been targeted by Kyiv. In June, Russian media reported that one person was killed when intercepted drone debris fell on a checkpoint in the area.
The Geran-2 has a total length of 3.5 metres and a wingspan of 2.5 metres. It weighs around 200 kilograms, carries a 50-kilogram warhead and can descend onto targets up to 1800 kilometres away at speeds of up to 300km/h.
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Ukraine reported this week that it had shot down its 30,000th Shahed drone, using analysis of a serial number obtained from a fragment of one of the downed munitions.
The Telegraph, London
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