KYIV, Ukraine — Ukrainian drones struck a key industrial site in Russia’s Udmurt Republic on Saturday, injuring eleven people, three of whom required hospitalization, according to local health officials. The attack targeted what Russian news channel Astra identified as the Votkinsk Machine Building Plant, a major state defense enterprise responsible for producing Iskander ballistic missiles and components for other missile systems.
Sergei Bagin, the Udmurt Republic’s Health Minister, reported the casualties via Telegram, stating that three individuals were admitted to hospitals with injuries of varying severity. One patient was airlifted to Izhevsk for treatment, according to reports. Eight others received medical attention and were released.
Alexander Brechalov, the regional head of Udmurtia, confirmed the attack on “one of the republic’s facilities” in a Telegram post, noting that it caused both injuries and damage. He did not specify the targeted site.
The Votkinsk Machine Building Plant, located over 1,400 kilometers (870 miles) from the Ukrainian border, is a significant producer of military hardware, including the Iskander missiles frequently used in strikes against Ukraine, as well as nuclear-capable intercontinental ballistic missiles and components for the Oreshnik system, according to multiple Russian media reports.
Videos circulating on Russian social media, purportedly taken by residents of Votkinsk, depict black smoke rising from an industrial area and damage to building windows. The unofficial Russian Telegram channel SHOT reported that residents heard at least three explosions and the sound of drones overnight.
Ukrainian authorities have not yet commented on the reported strike. Flights were temporarily suspended at Izhevsk airport on Saturday morning, though it was not immediately clear if this was directly related to the attack.
Elsewhere, in the Samara region, Governor Vyacheslav Fedorishchev stated that two “industrial sites” were struck overnight, with no reported casualties. Authorities in Russia’s Belgorod region reported missile strikes targeting “critical infrastructure” in the city of Belgorod and surrounding districts.