113 Drones Intercepted Over Voronezh After Night Attack on Aviation and Rubber Plants
Governor Aleksandr Gusev confirmed fires at major industrial sites, while residents reported over an hour of explosions without a prior warning.
By Harper Laurent ·
Residents of Voronezh woke to a city shrouded in smoke following a massive drone attack during the night of October 25 and 26, 2026. The strike targeted two key industrial sites: the Voronezhsintezkauchuk rubber plant and the Voronezh Aircraft Production Association, known as VASO. Ukrainian open-source intelligence channels Supernova+ and Exilenova+ identified these facilities as primary targets. Voronezhsintezkauchuk, part of the Sibur group, produces synthetic rubbers and polymer materials. VASO, a division of the Ilyushin Aviation Complex within the United Aircraft Corporation, manufactures aviation components and the Ilyushin Il-96 jet airliner.
Aleksandr Gusev, the Governor of Voronezh Oblast, told the Russian news agency Interfax that fires broke out at several industrial businesses. He described the incidents as occurring without major consequences, a characterization that contrasts with reports of extensive damage from local media. Gusev did not name the specific companies in his initial statement. He confirmed that air defense units intercepted more than 70 drones directly over the city. When counting the wider urban area and surrounding districts, the total number of drones brought down reached 113.
The attack affected areas far beyond the industrial zones. Gusev reported fires in a business centre, an apartment building, two dacha settlements, a school stadium, and a garage cooperative. Damage to building facades and windows was recorded in nearly every district of the city. Russian media outlet Astra provided specific locations for the impacts. They reported a drone hit on the Galereya Chizhova business centre at 35A Koltsovskaya Street. Video showed the explosion at that site. 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. At a car park on 275/1 45th Strelkovoy Divizii Street, at least ten cars caught fire. Readers of Astra reported hearing explosions and the sounds of air defense operations for over an hour. The city was filled with smoke throughout 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 volume of drones intercepted suggests a coordinated launch aimed at saturating air defense systems. The targeting of VASO and Voronezhsintezkauchuk points to the strategic value of these facilities in Russia's aviation and petrochemical sectors. The attack marks one of the more intense aerial engagements in the region in recent weeks. The damage to residential buildings and commercial properties indicates the widespread nature of the blast effects and debris.
