Ukrainian Drone Strike Damages Aircraft Assembly Workshop at Aviastar Plant

A Ukrainian drone strike on the Aviastar aircraft plant in the Russian city of Ulyanovsk damaged an aircraft assembly workshop.

Analysts from the Dnipro OSINT project reported this after reviewing satellite images.

The attack on the facility, which belongs to the aggressor country, took place on the night of March 16.

Later, local social media channels reported that after repelling the drone attack, the plant temporarily halted operations.

Satellite imagery has now emerged, confirming that a building at the facility was hit.

Importance of the plant

Aviastar is a strategic aircraft manufacturing enterprise that produces and repairs large transport and passenger aircraft.

The plant is part of the United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) and is an important component of Russia’s aviation industry.

The enterprise specializes in the production of Il-76MD-90A military transport aircraft, Il-78M-90A aerial refueling tankers, and also provides maintenance for heavy transport aircraft such as the An-124 Ruslan.

Strike on an aircraft repair plant

On the night of March 17, Ukrainian drones also attacked the 123rd Aircraft Repair Plant in Staraya Russa, Novgorod region.

The facility performs repair, modernization, and maintenance work on Russia’s military transport aircraft.

The plant works with Il-76, Il-78, and L-410 aircraft, and also repairs D-30KP and AI-20 engines, as well as auxiliary power units. In addition, the enterprise services AV-68 and AV-72 propellers.

The facility is also capable of repairing the airframe and engines of A-50 airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft, which are based on the Il-76 military transport platform.