Russia’s secret plan to supercharge kamikaze drone production
Documents obtained by POLITICO show a Russian state company blueprint for increasing drone carbon fiber production as the Kremlin escalates air war over Europe.
Russia is taking steps to dramatically boost its production of kamikaze drones used against Ukrainian cities, according to documents obtained by POLITICO. The expansion of the state-owned Alabuga-Volokno factory in Russia's Tatarstan region, owned by Rosatom, would enable the manufacture of an extra 500 tons of military-grade aerospace carbon fiber annually by 2029.
This lightweight material is crucial for building the drones' airframes. Experts estimate this production increase could result in an additional 28,000 weaponized drones each year, a 78% rise in production compared to the current estimate of over 36,000 "Gerans" produced annually by Russia. Ukraine believes Russia currently produces more than 36,000 kamikaze drones annually.
The plans highlight Russia's dedication to weaponized drone technology, which it increasingly uses against Europe. The Alabuga-Volokno factory and its parent company, Rosatom's advanced materials division UMATEX, are sanctioned by the UK, US, and other Western governments. The factory is central to Moscow's military-industrial supply chain and previously received a disguised shipment of 46 tons of carbon-fiber chemicals from a Chinese state corporation. Rosatom maintains it operates in compliance with laws and regulations.
Written by urgent.news from Politico EU's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
