'Mysterious' fire engulfs Russian Shahed warehouse, Ukrainian intelligence claims
A "devastating" fire broke out at a Shahed drone warehouse at the Alabuga Special Economic Zone in Russia's Tatarstan, destroying drone parts worth $16 million, Ukraine's military intelligence (HUR) said on Dec. 23.
The Alabuga Special Economic Zone hosts the Yelabuga drone factory that produces Shahed-type drones for the Russian military, located more than 1,300 kilometers (800 miles) from the Russia–Ukraine border.
According to HUR, the affected warehouse stored 65 drone attack fuselages, as well as engines, navigation systems, and thermal imaging cameras for the production of 400 Shahed-type drones.
"Everything burned down," the agency said without explicitly claiming responsibility for the "mysterious, devastating fire." Ukrainian intelligence agencies have been previously linked to a number of assassinations and sabotage operations deep in the Russian rear during the full-scale war.
The Kyiv Independent could not verify the claims.
"HUR reminds that there will be fair retribution for every war crime committed against the Ukrainian people," the intelligence agency said in a statement.
Local authorities did not report any fire or similar incident in the Alabuga zone overnight on Dec. 23. Drones struck Kazan, Tatarstan's regional center, on the morning of Dec. 21, damaging several buildings but reportedly inflicting no casualties.
The Yelabuga drone factory was launched in July 2023, aiming to produce not only Russian equivalents of Iranian-made Shahed drones but also the Albatross reconnaissance drones. Russia regularly employs Shaheds and its domestic-made variants like Geran for strikes against Ukrainian cities and infrastructure.
Ukrainian long-range drones previously struck the Yelabuga facility in early April.
Dmytro Basmat
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