Ukrainian deep strike drones have successfully struck VNIIR-Progress, a russian enterprise in Cheboksary. The attack reached about 1,000 km into russian territory, and despite having traveled such a distance the drones landed extremely accurate hits, forcing the factory to suspend all operations, as reported by local sources.
Videos from the site captured numerous hits by Ukrainian drones and a large fire on the enterprise.
Read more: Exceptional Precision of Ukrainian Drones in the Strike on Kronshtadt Factory in Dubna
Cheboksary pic.twitter.com/GPpI0s4TcE — Exilenova+ (@Exilenova_plus) June 9, 2025
Importantly, VNIIR-Progress JSC produces Kometa-M jamming-proof satellite navigation antennas. These are the same multi-element antennas that the russian forces install in all their long-range weaponry: from UMPK guidance kits to Shahed-136/131 killer drones, reconnaissance UAVs (Orlan-10 and others), cruise missiles (Kh-101 and others), Iskander short-range ballistic missiles, etc.
In other words, the company makes one of the key components for the russian long-range arsenal, and now at least two Ukrainian drones managed to reach this facility, undermining further production, as reported by Ukrainian General Staff. How lasting the effect will be and the damage from the fire will be known later.
The success in targeting such an important industrial site once again shows that Ukrainian drones have already developed into a potent asymmetric warfare means that is capable of delivering strikes with adequate range, precision, and effectiveness.
Earlier, Defense Express pointed out the phenomenal accuracy demonstrated by Ukraine's one-way attack drones during the strikes on the Kronshtadt plant in Dubna — the newly-built workshop producing Orion, Molniya drones and novel Banderol miniature cruise missiles, was evenly covered by hits and consequently burned down.
Today's June 9 strike on VNIIR-Progress seems to be history repeating itself, as a large-scale fire has also broken out at the factory. Even if put out, the chemicals used for extinguishing it may cause troubles with the sensitive equipment for microelectronics production.
These successful hits continue the new campaign of long-range strikes by the Ukrainian Defense Forces that seems to be targeting the suppliers of important electronic components used in weapons rather than final assembly plants. Among the previous attacks falling under that description were the recent drone raids on the Energiya plant in Yelets (producer of power cells), on the Bolkhov Semiconductor Device Plant in the Oryol region, on the JSC Strela in the Bryansk region (electrical parts), and on Kremniy EL (microelectronics, semiconductors) in Bryansk.
Read more: Could Go Wrong Any Moment: New Footage Shows How Much Time a Ukraine's Drone Operator Had to Strike the russian Tu-22M3
