Drones strike Russia’s Cheboksary, military claims military electronics factory hit
Unidentified drones struck the Russian city of Cheboksary in the Chuvashia Republic in the early hours of Nov. 26, with Ukraine's General Staff claiming successful hits on a factory producing electronics for Russian weapons.
According to the Telegram channel SHOT, the first blast was heard at around 2:40 a.m. local time. Residents also reported additional explosions on the outskirts of the city and in the airspace near the village of Lapsary, roughly 10 kilometers (six miles) away. Footage circulating online shows fire and thick smoke rising from one of the districts following the reported drone attack.
In the afternoon, Ukraine's General Staff claimed to have struck the VNIIR-Progress factory in the city, which manufacturers navigation equipment and other electronics for an array of Russian weapons, including Shahed-style strike drones, cruise and ballistic missiles, and glide bomb kits.
According to the General Staff, the strikes led to a fire breaking out at the facility. The units or weapons involved in the deep strike operation were not disclosed.
Local authorities also acknowledged the incident. Oleg Nikolayev, the head of the Chuvashia Republic, confirmed that the region had been attacked by drones. Two people, including a teenager, were wounded in the attack and two residential buildings were damaged.
The Kyiv Independent can't immediately verify the claims.
Several Russian Telegram channels claimed that the strike hit the VNIIR-Progress plant in Cheboksary, located roughly 970 kilometers (603 miles) from the nearest parts of Ukraine’s border.
VNIIR-Progress is a Russian state institute involved in designing electronic warfare systems, including the Kometa antenna used to interfere with satellite, radio, and radar signals. The enterprise is currently subject to sanctions imposed by both the United States and the European Union.
The same plant was previously targeted on June 9, when a Ukrainian drone strike triggered large explosions and fires at the VNIIR-Progress and ABS Electro facilities.
At the time, Ukraine’s General Staff confirmed responsibility, saying the operation was part of efforts to degrade Russia’s ability to manufacture components for attack drones, guided bombs, and other precision-strike systems.
