October 1 Strike Damaged Storage Areas and Launch Site at Tsymbulova Drone Facility

The Ukrainian Defense Forces’ strike drones hit the Tsymbulova drone facility near the town of Bolkhov in Russia’s Oryol region overnight on September 30–October 1.

Satellite imagery published by the Absolutely Reliable Source channel shows the strike’s aftermath.

The attack damaged areas used to store drones, as well as the launch site.

The imagery identified a total of six impact sites.

On the night of October 3, NASA’s FIRMS satellite system detected a fire at the drone facility.

Meanwhile, on September 30, 2026, it was reported that construction and fortification work was still actively underway at the “Tsymbulova” drone facility in the Oryol region to support large-scale launches of strike UAVs.

A new area with eight dome-shaped shelters for jet-powered drones and an additional launch system has appeared southeast of the launch sites.

Nearby, paved areas have been prepared for the installation of eight additional shelters and two launch systems.

Near the Geran-5 launch areas, space has also been prepared for six additional launchers, while towers for anti-drone nets and communications equipment are being constructed.

Tsymbulova drone facility

The Tsymbulova drone facility is a large Russian military complex near the village of the same name. It is used to launch drones, including Geran-4 and Geran-5, against targets in Ukraine.

The facility is approximately 175–180 km from the Ukrainian border.

Despite ongoing construction, the Ukrainian Defense Forces regularly strike the facility. Ukrainian drones have hit bunkers and hangars, among other targets. Some drones penetrated the shelters, causing detonations and structural damage, while debris from destroyed UAVs was found in the launch preparation area.