A shocking video showed the frightening moments when Russian citizens desperately ran for safety as Ukrainian suicide drones attacked a major weapons factory. The footage captured Lyutyi drones hitting the Kupol Electromechanical Plant in Izhevsk, causing a huge explosion and massive flames. This facility, located more than 750 miles from the Ukrainian border in what is called Russia’s “City of Gunsmiths,” was an important part of Russia’s military industry before it was destroyed in a giant fireball.
The attack happened with deadly accuracy, according to The Sun, as two Lyutyi drones hit the plant in just five minutes. Right after, the city’s skyline was covered in thick, dark smoke as the key weapons facility burned. Witnesses described people running and screaming in fear, their cries filling the streets, while random gunfire was heard in a useless attempt to stop the drone attack.
The Kupol Electromechanical Plant is known for making critical military equipment, including Tor-M2E surface-to-air missile systems and Harpiya-A1 attack drones, both of which are important for Russia’s military strength. The drone strike in Izhevsk caused heavy casualties, with three people confirmed dead and at least 31 others injured, adding even more to the death toll of the war.
Russians run as bombs drop on facility
One reason for the high number of victims was that there was no air raid warning before the explosions. This lack of alert was surprising, as that meant Russia didn’t see it coming at all. People were unprepared for the sudden and destructive drone strike. The incident showed how even deeply located Russian military sites are vulnerable to Ukrainian long-range drone attacks, proving Ukraine’s ability to hit the core of Russia’s defense industry.
This dramatic drone strike on Izhevsk happened as part of a larger increase in Ukrainian military actions across Russian-occupied areas and inside Russia itself. Ukraine has recently launched a new wave of counterstrikes, aiming at different strategic targets. One of these was a particularly damaging British-made Storm Shadow missile strike in Donetsk, which reportedly caused major destruction and killed Russian soldiers.
Russians flee as the Izhevsk arms factory continues to detonate.
— Kyiv Insider (@KyivInsider) July 1, 2025
War is apparently no longer fun. pic.twitter.com/blcOEggxYr
The Storm Shadow missile strike specifically hit the headquarters of Russia’s 8th Combined Arms Army in Donetsk. Reports said the building was heavily damaged, with the missile reaching the basement. This attack killed many soldiers, and accounts suggested bodies were being pulled out in large numbers.
This isn’t the first Ukrainian drone strike on Russia, but it has been a while since one that did a lot of damage from a long range. The Storm Shadow missile, costing 800,000 British pounds (approximately $1 million), is a GPS-guided weapon that can travel at 600 miles per hour and is designed to avoid air defenses, making it a powerful tool for Ukraine.
While Ukrainian sources said many were killed, Russian officials admitted only one death and three injuries from the Donetsk strike. Keep in mind the real number was likely much higher.
