Atlant Aero Drone Plant in Taganrog Burns After Missile Strike

The Ukrainian Defense Forces launched a missile strike on the Atlant Aero drone manufacturing plant in Taganrog, according to Astra.

The attack took place on the morning of April 19, 2026. Residents reported several powerful explosions, followed by thick black smoke rising from the plant area.

According to Yury Slyusar, the governor of the Rostov region, the city was hit by a missile strike, which “damaged commercial infrastructure and caused a fire in a warehouse area.”

An analysis of photos and videos from residents, conducted by Astra, identified the impact site as the Atlant Aero plant’s territory.

According to the War & Sanctions portal of the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine, the plant produces Molniya-type FPV kamikaze drones, including the Molniya-1 and Molniya-2 models, as well as the reconnaissance version Molniya-2R.

The enterprise is also involved in manufacturing components for Orion drones.

The plant itself is located at the coordinates 47.19987657839186, 38.88151942387608.

This is approximately 40–50 kilometers from Ukraine’s state border, which allows the Ukrainian Defense Forces to target it with a wide range of strike capabilities.

It is worth noting that this plant was also attacked a month ago, along with the aviation enterprise Taganrog Aviation Scientific-Technical Complex named after G. M. Beriev.

Additionally, in January, Ukrainian missiles also successfully struck the facility’s территории, resulting in a large-scale fire.

The plant was also targeted in early January 2026, when Ukrainian-made missiles struck its territory. The operation involved the Security Service of Ukraine and the Ukrainian Navy.