Voronezh Air Defenses Down 113 Drones in Overnight Attack on Aviation Plant

A massive drone swarm struck the Russian city of Voronezh during the night of October 25 and 26, targeting major industrial sites and residential areas. Local air defenses intercepted 113 drones in total. Governor Aleksandr Gusev confirmed fires at several businesses and reported that debris damaged windows and facades in nearly every district of the city.

The assault began in the early hours of October 26. Ukrainian open-source intelligence channels Supernova+ and Exilenova+ identified the primary targets as the Voronezh Aircraft Production Association and the Voronezhsintezkauchuk rubber plant. VASO is part of the Ilyushin Aviation Complex and manufactures the Il-96 jet airliner. Voronezhsintezkauchuk belongs to the Sibur group and produces synthetic rubbers and polymer materials. These strikes represent one of the most intense aerial engagements in the region in recent weeks.

Gusev spoke to the Interfax news agency to confirm the scope of the attack. He stated that air defense units shot down more than 70 drones directly over the city. When counting the wider urban area and surrounding districts, the total number of intercepted drones reached 113. Gusev described the incidents as occurring without major consequences, a characterization that differs from the extensive damage reported by local media and observers.

Beyond the industrial plants, the governor listed fires at a business center, an apartment building, two dacha settlements, a school stadium, and a garage cooperative. Russian media outlet Astra provided specific details on the impact locations. They reported a drone strike on the Galereya Chizhova business center at 35A Koltsovskaya Street and captured video of the explosion. Astra also identified explosion sites near residential buildings on 52A 25th Yanvarya Street and 4K Arkhitektora Troitskovo Street.

Further damage was documented at the Uritsky residential complex on 135 Uritskovo Street. A car park on 275/1 45th Strelkovoy Divizii Street saw at least ten cars caught in flames. Astra readers reported hearing explosions and air defense operations for over an hour. The city remained shrouded in smoke during the engagement. Residents noted that no formal air-raid warning was issued before the strikes began.

Local authorities are currently assessing the full extent of the damage to public and private property. The attack targeted facilities linked to the aviation and petrochemical sectors, highlighting their strategic importance in Russia's infrastructure. The high volume of drones intercepted suggests a coordinated effort to saturate local air defense systems.