Russian authorities claimed to have shot down 1,214 Ukrainian drones overnight on October 29 after suspected attacks hit chemical plants tied to its defense sector and caused flight disruptions in Moscow.
Smoke rose from a chemical plant in Bashkortostan as authorities in the Tula region still assessed the impact of a previous strike.
Tu-22M Bomber from Russian Air Force. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
Tu-22M Bomber from Russia. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
However, there has been no claim of responsibility from Ukraine, and the number of drones shot down by Russia cannot be confirmed.
Russia Claims It Downed 1,200 Drones
The Russian Defense Ministry claimed to have destroyed 1,214 Ukrainian drones in 19 regions overnight, surpassing the 1,110 it said it shot down on September 20.
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said 613 drones had targeted the capital and surrounding region.
“Most of them were neutralized by Defense Ministry air defenses on distant approaches,” he told reporters.
“231 drones were destroyed on the approach to Moscow,” he added.
Russia’s aviation agency Rosaviatsia closed three airports, Domodedovo, Vnukovo, and Zhukovsky.
Two planes flying from Istanbul to Moscow were forced to turn back because of disruptions at Vnukovo Airport, the Kyiv Independent reported.
No casualties were reported in the capital, but other parts of Russia were damaged.
Chemical Plant Hit
A suspected drone attack hit Sterlitamak, an industrial city in Russia’s Bashkortostan republic early on Thursday.
Independent Russian media outlet Astra analyzed imagery showing smoke near the Bashkir Soda Company, a major chemical plant about 750 miles from Ukraine’s border.
Sterlitamak mayor Emil Shaimardanov said debris from eight intercepted drones fell on an industrial site, causing “minor damage.”
The mayor said the plant “is operating normally.”
He did not say which enterprise had been hit.
According to Astra, the Bashkir Soda Company appears in Russia’s government register of defense enterprises.
It is reportedly the only facility in Russia that produces terephthaloyl chloride, a substance used to make high-strength polymers and aramid fibers used in body armor, military helmets, and vehicle protection.
Drones hit the plant on August 27, but it is unclear how much damage Thursday’s suspected attack caused.
Another Chemical Plant Hit in Tula
Latest reports come after a suspected attack on a chemical plant in Novomoskovsk on October 28. Ukrainian monitoring channels said the attack hit the NAK Azot plant.
“Novomoskovsk, Tula Oblast: the Azot chemical plant has been attacked. A fire has broken out at the facility as a result of the attack,” Exilenova+ monitoring channel said.
The region’s governor, Dmitry Milyaev, confirmed damage to residential buildings and “infrastructure in the neighboring industrial area,” Meduza reported.
One person was injured, and 64 drones were shot down in Tula, Russian authorities said.
Vladimir Tokarev, a senior official in Novomoskovsk, said specialists were working to clean up the area.
“Specialists are sealing the thermal envelopes of damaged homes, clearing the areas, and inspecting the buildings,” he told Kyiv Post.
“Once the extent of the destruction has been assessed, the scope of necessary repairs will be determined,” he said.
Milyaev also said tests showed that “the state of the ambient air in Novomoskovsk is within normal limits.”
Azot produces industrial chemicals, including those used to make explosives. However, Russian authorities have not confirmed any damage to the plant itself.
Kremlin Reacts as Russia Strikes Ukraine
The attacks came as Russia held the Russia-Africa summit in Moscow, hosted by President Vladimir Putin.
Dmitry Peskov, Kremlin spokesman, described the timing of the strikes during the Russia-Africa summit as strange.
“Thank God, our air defense systems are working effectively,” he said on Thursday.
But Peskov argued that “This once again shows that the special military operation must continue.”
Russia Continues Overnight Bombardments
Ukraine’s Air Force said Moscow launched 112 drones overnight, including 40 jet-powered Shahed drones.
Ukrainian defenses destroyed or suppressed 97 of them.
“Hits by drones have been recorded at seven locations and the fall of downed UAVs (debris) at five locations,” the force said.
On Wednesday evening, a Russian drone hit a civilian facility in Ukraine’s Rivne region.
“Unfortunately, we were unable to avoid casualties. One man was killed,” regional official Oleksandr Koval confirmed.
The attacks come amid an imminent new round of U.S.-brokered talks, but neither Moscow nor Kyiv has indicated they will stop their long-range drone attacks.
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.
