Kyiv Confirms Successful Drone Attack on Military Factory in Russia’s Tula Region

Ukraine successfully attacked a military factory in Russia’s Tula region late on Saturday, Jan. 20, a source in the Special Services of Ukraine told Kyiv Post. Air defenses kicked into action in the cities of Orel and Smolensk.

Ukrainian drones targeted the Shcheglovsky Val defense enterprise in the Tula region, where Russia manufactured Pantsir-S surface-to-air missile systems and developed guided weapons for ground forces, air defense systems, quick-firing cannons and combat small arms.

Multiple Russian Telegram channels reported "loud explosions and fire" on the premises of the factory.

"In Tula, the Shcheglovsky Val plant, which also manufactures the Pantsir air defense system, appears to have been impacted. The explosions were captured on video," stated Sota.

"A significant explosion and fire took place in the Proletarian district. The Shcheglovsky Val plant is situated there, producing, among other things, Pantsir-S complexes," added the VCHK OGPU channel.

Gas terminal fire

A fire has also broken out at a natural gas terminal in the Russian Baltic Sea port of Ust-Luga, the regional governor said early Sunday.

The terminal, 110 kilometers (70 miles) west of St Petersburg near the Estonian border, is operated by Novatek, Russia's largest independent natural gas producer.

"[There are] no casualties as a result of a fire at Novatek's terminal in the port of Ust-Luga. Personnel were evacuated," Leningrad region governor Aleksandr Drozdenko, posted on Telegram. This was accompanied by a short video showing a massive fire and smoke at a chemical complex.

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"A high alert regime has been introduced in the Kingiseppsky district (which includes the port)," he wrote.

He added that the Russian ministry of emergency situations and local fire service were involved in fighting the blaze.

TASS news agency and other state media said the cause of the fire has not been announced.

The Ust-Luga complex processes natural gas condensate into naphtha, jet fuel and ship fuel components, according to Novatek's website.

On Friday, Jan. 19, Ukraine’s military intelligence confirmed it was behind drone attacks that left an oil depot in the Bryansk region of Russia ablaze and damaged a gunpowder factory in Tambov.

When asked if it was behind the strikes, a source in the Main Directorate of Intelligence (HUR), told Kyiv Post: “Yes. The oil depot is on fire, and (damage) is being clarified at the (Tambov) plant.”

Prior to this, a source in the special services informed Kyiv Post that on the night of Jan. 18, Ukraine attacked the Russian oil depot in St. Petersburg with drones.

As a result of the operation, the drones hit the St. Petersburg Oil Terminal, which is the largest Russian oil product transshipment terminal in the Baltic region.

The source of Kyiv Post also reported that one of the drones flew over Valdai during the operation, “where the personal estates of the Rotenbergs, Kovalchuk, and one of Putin's palaces are located.”