Ukrainian drones targeted ethanol facilities in Russia’s Voronezh region on Sunday night, causing fires and injuring two workers, according to the Russian regional governor, Alexander Gusev. Reports indicate that the UAS targeted two ethanol production sites.
While traditionally used in the production of alcohol, these distilleries are reported by Ukrainian officials to also manufacture components for military fuel and explosives. The targeting of these sites is a continuation of the ongoing Ukrainian strategy to disrupt critical supply lines within Russia’s military infrastructure.
Firefighters extinguished a fire in the Anninsky district, where several buildings were damaged, and debris from destroyed drones also affected nearby areas. Gusev reported approximately 10 drones were intercepted in the region, while the Russian Defence Ministry stated only one Ukrainian drone was downed in Voronezh, from a total of 21 shot down across Russia that night.
The head of Ukraine’s Centre for Combating Disinformation, Andrei Kovalenko, revealed that these facilities may serve dual purposes. According to Kovalenko:
“Russian distilleries are used to produce not only alcohol, but also military fuel and explosives. These are all military objects, despite being disguised as something else.”
The strikes on these ethanol plants followed a warning by Russia, which recently made new threats of retaliation if Ukraine begins using long-range missiles against Russia.
As tensions heighten, Russia alleged that NATO’s involvement in providing reconnaissance and strategic guidance could be behind such Ukrainian strikes.
According to Russian authorities, only NATO-affiliated specialists would have the required resources, particularly advanced reconnaissance from space, to support Ukraine’s longer-range operations. Russia claims that Western actions raise the risk of broader conflict, indicating that an increase in Ukraine’s missile capabilities could provoke a significant response.
Russia has made similar claims previously, likely in the hopes of isolating Ukraine from the support it has received from Western allies.
Post Image – Fires broke out at the Russian distillery in Voronezh (Post Image Credit: ASTRA via Telegram).
