Russian ‘missile factory explodes near Moscow in latest Ukrainian drone strike’

A key Russian factory that produces electronics for Vladimir Putin’s missiles has been hit by Ukraine’s latest drone on the aggressor country, Kiev claims.

A kamikaze drone strike on Lyubertsy, near Moscow, hit the research and manufacturing company Tomilinsky Electronics Plant, Kiev claimed.

The attack is another major blow to Putin as Ukraine ramps up its drone strikes against Russia.

The extent of casualties and damage to the Russian missile factory was not immediately clear.

Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin previously suggested that the drone was shot down and caused no damage.

Today, September 1, a drone strike in the Moscow region is pictured in the sky

“Today, air defense forces near Lyubertsy thwarted another attempt to fly a drone into Moscow,” Moscow’s mayor said.

A video showed smoke billowing from the secret electronics factory, it was reported.

Ukraine’s Defense Ministry claimed the fire at the missile electronics factory came from a drone, a report in Kiev said.

It was said that this was an attack organized by Ukrainian military intelligence.

“It was the GUR’s operation, it was a success and more will follow,” a source told Ukrainskaya Pravda.

Footage was seen of the drone buzzing Lyubertsy.

Intelligence spokesman Andrey Yusov said: “A workshop that produces electronics for missiles is on fire.

Why it burns and who lit it, we do not comment. But the fact is that it burns.

“And the statements of representatives of the Moscow authorities that they shot something do not correspond to reality.”

Ukraine claims to have the Tomilinsky Electronics Factory in Moscow, which produces electronics for missiles

Footage earlier today appeared to show a drone exploding near the Moscow region

The Tomilinsky electronics factory in Moscow (pictured) was hit by the drone attack, Ukraine claims

Other attacks saw a drone shot down in the northern Russian military town of Pskov.

Elsewhere, satellite images indicated that a large drone barrage destroyed at least two Ilyushin Il-76 aircraft at an air base earlier this week, officials said.

The images captured on Thursday show Princess Olga Pskov International Airport, a dual military-civilian airport located about 400 miles north of the Ukrainian border and near Estonia and Latvia.

The four-engined Il-76 is the workhorse of the Russian Army’s airlift capability, capable of landing and takeoff in harsh conditions. It is believed that the Russian army has more than 100 of them in its fleet.

Analysis revealed what appeared to be the blackened fuselages of two Il-76s in separate parking lots on the air base’s apron.

One contained the aircraft’s tail, the other appeared to show pieces of another aircraft. There was fire damage around the pillow.

Eleven other Il-76s had been moved from their parking lots to different positions on the airport’s taxiways, possibly in an effort to make it more difficult for them to be hit again. One of them was on the runway itself. Another Il-76 remained on the trail, although it was not clear why.

Local reports said Ukrainian drone strikes on the air base damaged four Il-76s.

The satellite image was taken at 13:03 GMT (14:03 BST) on Thursday. Videos posted on social media again showed anti-aircraft fire at the air base on Thursday evening, although it remains unclear whether this meant another attack was taking place.

The air base in Pskov was initially targeted on Tuesday evening, but the clouds prevented satellites from getting an unobstructed view.

On Thursday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said his country had developed a weapon that could hit a target 400 miles away, apparently in reference to the attack on the air base. He described the weapon as being produced by the Ukrainian Ministry of Strategic Industry, but gave no further details.

Kremlin forces have attacked Ukraine with numerous salvos from exploding Iranian-made drones during the war over the past year.