Ukrainian drones have struck multiple targets across Russia and occupied Crimea, including the city of Izhevsk, which lies over 1,300 km from the Ukrainian border. According to Russian officials and local Telegram channels, the attack occurred overnight. Residents of Izhevsk reported explosions early on July 1, with local authorities confirming a drone strike on a facility in the city. Alexander Brechalov, head of Russia’s Udmurt Republic, stated that emergency services had arrived at the scene, with further details to be provided as they became available.
Russia’s Defense Ministry confirmed that its air defenses shot down 60 Ukrainian drones overnight, with 17 downed over occupied Crimea, 16 over Rostov Oblast, and 11 over the Sea of Azov. Other drones were reportedly shot down in Kursk, Saratov, Belgorod, Voronezh, and Oryol oblasts, as well as the Black Sea. In occupied Crimea, explosions were reported near the town of Kurortne on the Kerch Peninsula, where Russian S-300/S-400 surface-to-air missile systems and radar stations are allegedly located. A monitoring group cited NASA satellite data showing a large fire in the area, though there was no official confirmation of damage to air defense assets.
Residents in Kerch and Feodosia reported explosions between 0:20 a.m. and 0:50 a.m. on July 1. Ukraine has not officially claimed responsibility for the attacks, and its military intelligence agency has not commented. The Kyiv Independent could not independently verify the information. The city of Izhevsk was previously targeted on November 17, 2024, when a drone strike damaged a factory producing air defense systems, marking the first known drone attack on the region during the full-scale war. Russia’s aviation agency temporarily suspended flights at the city’s airport following the incident.
Andrii Kovalenko, head of the counter-disinformation center at Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council, noted that Izhevsk hosts the Electromechanical Plant Kupol, which manufactures Harpy-A1 attack drones and Tor air defenses. Brechalov later reported casualties, citing deaths and serious injuries, though specific figures were not provided. This incident highlights the ongoing escalation of drone warfare in the conflict, with both sides employing increasingly sophisticated technologies to target strategic assets and infrastructure.