Russia Is Significantly Expanding Production of Materials for Kamikaze Drones — Politico
Russia is preparing to significantly increase its production of carbon fiber for attack drones. According to Politico, this could enable the production of tens of thousands of additional drones each year.
The expansion of the Alabuga-Volokno plant in Tatarstan will allow Moscow to produce an additional 500 metric tons of military-grade carbon fiber annually through 2029—a material that is critical for drone airframes.
Experts estimate that this will mean an additional 28,000 armed drones per year—a 78% increase compared to current levels. Currently, Russia is capable of producing more than 36,000 “Geraniums” per year.
The plant and its parent company, UMATEX, are subject to sanctions imposed by the U.S., the U.K., and other Western countries. Earlier this year, the company already received a disguised shipment of chemicals for carbon fiber from China.
The Ukrainian Security and Cooperation Center (USCC) obtained the expansion plans—their authenticity was confirmed by the relevant committee of the U.S. House of Representatives and the Ukrainian government. Satellite imagery from May through July shows that the area adjacent to the plant is already being cleared for construction.
Moscow is seeking to reduce its dependence on imports from China and is ramping up its own production — as part of a national project, the country plans to produce about 130,000 drones by 2030 and up to 350,000 by 2035.
Source: Politico
As a reminder, on September 21, drones attacked Ufa, Russia; the Bashneft oil refinery may have been the target.
As a result of Russian attacks on September 20 in the Zhytomyr region, a fire broke out at a transportation infrastructure facility, and dry grass also caught fire.
The death toll from Russian attacks in the Kyiv region has risen to four. A child who was injured during a strike on the Vyshhorod district died in the hospital. Among the dead are three children and a woman.
Due to the fires in the Kyiv region, smoke and the smell of burning may be present in the capital.
