In an unprecedented operation, Ukrainian strike drones have successfully reached the Russian Urals, covering a record distance of over 1,800 kilometers. This major milestone was confirmed on Saturday, April 25, by Serhii Sternenko, an advisor to the Minister of Defense, on his Telegram channel. At the same time, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported on the continued systematic destruction of Russian military-industrial facilities, including a key drone manufacturing plant in Taganrog.
According to Sternenko, the drones were in the air for approximately 10 hours. Russian propagandists have already voiced their frustration over the fact that the UAVs did not encounter a single operational air defense system throughout their entire journey. “The distance from Ukraine is over 1,800 kilometers. And this is not the limit,” the defense minister’s advisor emphasized, hinting at Ukraine’s growing long-range strike capabilities.
The drone strikes caused significant disruption in the region. In Yekaterinburg, the clumsy actions of Russian electronic warfare (EW) operators led to unintended consequences. A local EW unit diverted one of the incoming drones from its military trajectory, crashing it directly into a residential building. The incident resulted in injuries to at least six civilians, showcasing how Russia’s internal defense mechanisms often pose a direct threat to its own population.
Meanwhile, the actual targets of the operation were situated in Chelyabinsk, where several powerful explosions were reported. According to local sources and military public pages, at least two precision strikes hit the Chelyabinsk Higher Military Aviation Red Banner School of Navigators (CHVVAkUSh). This facility plays a critical role in training personnel for the Russian Aerospace Forces, which are actively involved in the bombardment of Ukrainian cities. The successful targeting of such a remote military academy demonstrates that the Russian rear is no longer safe.
Beyond the Urals, Ukrainian forces have maintained immense pressure on Russian military infrastructure closer to the border. On April 24, the Ukrainian General Staff officially confirmed the successful results of a strike using domestic “Neptune” cruise missiles on the “Atlant Aero” enterprise in Taganrog. This facility was responsible for the full cycle of designing, manufacturing, and testing “Molniya” reconnaissance and strike drones, as well as producing components for the “Orion” UAVs. The destruction of its production workshops will severely hamper Russia’s ability to supply its troops with new drones.
In addition to the industrial targets, strategic command nodes have also been neutralized. Earlier this week, Ukrainian forces successfully struck the “Streletskiy” military ship traffic control point of the Russian Black Sea Fleet in temporarily occupied Sevastopol. By taking out key logistical and command centers, Ukraine continues to systematically degrade the operational capabilities of the Russian armed forces across all domains.