Kyiv – In a symbolic counterstrike, a Ukrainian long-range drone hit a major Russian arms plant in the city of Izhevsk - roughly 1,300 kilometers from the Ukrainian border. The attack came just days after President Volodymyr Zelenskyy declared domestic drone production his country's "highest priority." The target was no coincidence: the Kupol facility that was hit produces air defense systems and drones for the Russian military. According to the regional government of Udmurtia, several people were injured and a fire broke out. The plant's staff had to be evacuated. Ukrainian security officials confirmed on request that this was a targeted strike - with at least two direct hits on the facility's buildings. Kyiv did not comment officially, but unofficially, an SBU official called it "a clear signal to Moscow."
While Russia has advanced along several frontlines in recent weeks and intensified its offensives, Ukraine’s defense remains stable, according to military experts. But the strain is growing. Amid stalled peace talks and rising international skepticism toward continued U.S. support, Kyiv is turning to self-reliance - and to technology. In June, Russia launched a total of 5,438 drones at Ukrainian territory, according to the Associated Press - a new monthly record. Ukraine is now responding by ramping up its own capacities. President Zelenskyy announced that the focus will be on interceptor drones and long-range strikes: "This is extremely important," he said on Telegram. "Russia is building up, Russia is planning to increase the number of drone attacks. We are preparing our countermeasures." The latest developments show how much the war has changed since Russia’s February 2022 invasion. Conventional warfare has become a technological arms race - with drones as the central instrument. Both sides are testing new systems, improving range, precision, tactics. The war has become a globally observed testing ground for unmanned weapons.
Russia’s Defense Ministry reported that 60 Ukrainian drones were shot down overnight - including 17 over Crimea, 16 over the Rostov region and four over Saratov. But the strike on the Kupol factory shows: not all drones are intercepted. The message from Kyiv: we can hit you - anywhere. At the same time, Russia continued its attacks on Ukrainian cities. Four Russian Shahed drones hit Zaporizhzhia overnight - more than 1,600 households were left without power. In total, Russia launched 52 drones at Ukraine, including decoys, according to the Ukrainian Air Force. International criticism followed swiftly. Donald Trump’s special envoy for Russia and Ukraine, retired Lieutenant General Keith Kellogg, strongly condemned the Russian attacks on civilian targets. Russia, Kellogg wrote on the platform X, is sabotaging all peace efforts by continuing to bomb cities while at the same time rejecting a ceasefire: "We urge an immediate ceasefire and trilateral negotiations to end the war." His words carry even more urgency as Ukraine has been waiting for clear signals from Washington for months. Between March and April, the U.S. government allocated no new aid. Europe, on the other hand, surpassed the United States in military support for the first time since June 2022, according to the Kiel Institute - 72 billion euros compared to 65 billion euros from the U.S. For Kyiv, the situation remains tense - caught between growing uncertainty, Western hesitation, and the certainty that each new drone strike also sends a message. The drone war has only just begun.
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