Modified Drone Crashes into Car Plant, Killing and Injuring Civilians

On June 15, 2025, Russian air defenses shot down a modified Aeroprakt A-22 Foxbat drone over the Alabuga Special Economic Zone in the Republic of Tatarstan. The aircraft, reportedly converted by Ukraine into an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), was part of an attempted strike on Russian drone production facilities.

Russian officials stated that the drone was intercepted near the city of Yelabuga, where it crashed into the grounds of an automobile plant. Debris from the destroyed UAV reportedly killed one person and injured thirteen others, one of whom remains in serious condition. The strike was publicly confirmed by Rustam Minnikhanov, Head of the Republic of Tatarstan.

The incident triggered a drone alert across the region, with temporary flight restrictions enacted at Kazan and Nizhnekamsk airports. Russian sources allege the target was the facility responsible for producing Geranium drones, Russia’s domestically manufactured version of the Iranian Shahed UAV. According to Ukrainian defense officials, this facility produced over 6,000 drones in 2024 and is expected to manufacture up to 10,000 in 2025, along with 15,000 decoy drones.

A similar incident occurred in April 2024, when another A-22-based UAV damaged a student dormitory in Yelabuga. The event injured several individuals but did not disrupt drone production.

The Aeroprakt A-22, originally a two-seat light sport aircraft, is believed to be increasingly repurposed by Ukrainian forces for long-range strikes inside Russian territory. Its nearly 700-mile range makes it capable of targeting facilities deep behind front lines, including industrial and energy infrastructure.

Neither the Ukrainian military nor its Ministry of Defense has publicly commented on this latest incident, and many of the claims regarding the exact target and origin of the drone remain unverified by independent sources. However, video footage of what seems to be the shootdown has circulated.

FMI: https://aeropraktusa.com