An industrial site in the Novgorod region of Russia came under drone attack overnight on November 10, the region’s governor, Alexander Dronov, said.
Ukrainian monitoring sources said the site targeted was likely the 123rd Aircraft Repair Plant in Staraya Russa, which overhauls military transport aircraft and aerial refueling tankers. The claim has not been independently verified.
Site Previously Hit in the Spring
Su-57 Felon Fighter Ready for Action. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
Su-57 Felon Fighter. Image Credit: X Screenshot.
Ukraine claimed to have struck the facility on March 17, later stating they had damaged an A-50 airborne radar plane during maintenance. Ukraine has yet to claim responsibility for this latest strike in Staraya Russa.
A regional emergency was issued by regional emergency services, Interfax said. A wave of explosions was also reported in the area by the Ukrainian monitoring group Exilenova+, which said that “Ukrainian Defense Forces likely targeted the 123rd Aircraft Repair Plant.”
RBC-Ukraine reported that local social media posts showed “a fire and fire trucks moving toward the aircraft repair facility.” Video footage shared by monitoring groups appeared to show fires in the area, although the precise location has not been verified.
Debris fell onto two vacation homes, causing damage. Russia’s defense ministry claimed that 155 Ukrainian fixed-wing drones were shot down by Russian air defense systems across eight regions of Russia and occupied Crimea.
They did not state how many were shot down in Staraya Russa. This claim has not been independently verified.
Rostec Facility Struck Near St. Petersburg
Ukraine’s military also said the Morozov plant, a Rostec facility near St. Petersburg that specializes in solid propellant charges for Iskander-M ballistic missiles, was hit on November 9. “Units hit the enterprise, damaging three production workshops at once,” the Ukrainian Armed Forces said on Monday.
The 123rd Aircraft Repair Plant is approximately 465 miles from the border with Ukraine.
The facility has its own runway for heavy aircraft to land on, alongside a team to carry out trial flights after repairs.
The plant carries out major repairs on aircraft, including all systems and engines.
The plant is owned by Rostec’s United Aircraft Corporation and services the Il-76 heavy airlifter and its descendant, the Il-78-based aerial refueling tanker.
The plant also repairs the smaller L-410 Czech-designed turboprop aircraft, which was “designed to carry personnel and cargo at short distances,” according to the Czech Defense Ministry.
The plant also repairs aircraft engines and propellers.
The facility was added to an export restriction list by the European Union in December 2022. The ban includes military end users and those who “form part of Russia’s military and industrial complex.” It was also listed under an EU asset-freeze sanctions regime in December 2023.
Ukraine Claims it Damaged Russian Aircraft.
Ukraine’s General Staff said on March 18 that “a maintenance hangar for Il-76 and L-410 aircraft was hit.” A satellite image from March 17 shows three holes in the roof of one of the hangars.
On March 20, the General Staff said damage was caused to the A-50, noting that the aircraft “was located on the facility’s premises for maintenance and may have been awaiting modernization.” It remains unclear how much damage occurred.
Ukraine claimed it struck Aviastar, another United Aircraft Corporation site, on March 16.
Another attack was reported the subsequent day.
The Ulyanovsk factory produces the more modern versions of the Il-76 and Il-78.
Initial assessments by Ukraine’s military show they hit a climate-controlled hangar and parking spaces for aircraft.
Some aircraft at the site were also damaged.
The Beriev A-50
The Beriev A-50 is based on the Il-76 airframe and features a large radar dome.
It can detect aircraft, missiles, and ships from long distances and provide targeting information to fighter and air defense units. Ukraine alleged that it shot down two A-50s in early 2024. “The A-50 with the call sign ‘Bayan’ has flown its last!” Mykola Oleshchuk, then commander of Ukraine’s air force, said after the second A-50 was claimed to be shot down in February.
Justin Bronk of the Royal United Services Institute has explained that Russia’s A-50U aircraft can help ground-based air defense systems engage Ukrainian aircraft at “ranges beyond what the main SA-21 battery fire control radar can directly observe.”
About the Author: Georgia Gilholy
Georgia Gilholy is a journalist based in the United Kingdom who has been published in Newsweek, The Times of Israel, and the Spectator. Gilholy writes about international politics, culture, and education.
