Overnight on October 9, explosions and a fire were reported near a facility in Russia’s Tver region that manufactures fuel components for Russian cruise missiles. According to Russian and Ukrainian monitoring channels, the attack allegedly targeted an experimental plant in the town of Redkino. The full extent of the damage has not been independently verified, and as of now, the Ukrainian military has not officially claimed responsibility.
Facility in Tver Region reportedly targeted
Monitoring channels, as cited by Ukrainian media, indicated that the attack occurred during the night of Friday, October 9. Local residents reportedly observed flashes of explosions and smoke rising around the industrial complex in Redkino.
The reported target was the Redkino Experimental Plant, which is believed to manufacture Decilin-M fuel components used for Russia’s Kh-55 and Kh-101 cruise missiles. The facility also produces additives for diesel and aviation kerosene.
The governor of Tver region, Vitaliy Korolyov, confirmed that an industrial facility in Redkino caught fire while a drone attack was being repelled. However, he did not specify which plant was struck. According to his statement, there were no reported injuries among the workers.
Why missile fuel production matters
Plants that produce specialized fuel components are a key element of Russia’s broader military-industrial supply chain. Damaging these sites can disrupt deliveries to missile manufacturers; however, a single attack does not in itself prove a halt in weapons production or supplies.
Kh-101 missiles are conventional cruise missiles frequently used by Russia in strikes against Ukraine. The Kh-55 is an older Soviet-era missile model, associated primarily with nuclear armaments, though there are several derivative models.
If serious damage to the plant is confirmed, it could affect part of the supply chain of Russia’s arms industry. So far, there is no independently verified information on the extent of the damage or whether production has been interrupted.
Russia reports large-scale air defense activity
The incident in Redkino occurred during a period in which Russia reported other drone attacks overnight. According to media reports, the Russian Ministry of Defence claimed its air defenses neutralized 505 Ukrainian drones over 24 hours.
This figure is based on Russian authorities’ statements and has not been independently verified as a summary of all attacks. Other reports from the same period mentioned a fire at an oil storage facility in the Belgorod region and attacks on other infrastructure.
In recent months, Ukraine has regularly deployed drones to strike Russian refineries, fuel depots, and facilities linked to military production. Kyiv aims to restrict the logistics and industrial capacity that Russia uses in its war effort.
Attacks on energy and military industry continue
The attack on the Redkino plant comes amid ongoing mutual strikes on infrastructure targets. Russia is intensifying attacks on Ukrainian cities and energy facilities, while Ukraine seeks to hit targets inside Russian territory.
Ukraine’s energy sector is under increased pressure ahead of winter. In Kyiv and other regions, authorities are preparing for possible electricity and heating outages. More about the situation in the Ukrainian capital can be found in the article on how Kyiv is preparing for winter under the threat of Russian strikes on infrastructure.
Another key issue remains the availability of air defense systems. Ukraine continues to highlight its urgent need for more missiles and interception systems to repel Russian attacks. This is further discussed in the article on Ukraine’s dwindling supply of Patriot missiles and growing concerns heading into winter.
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This article was translated from the original Slovak version with the assistance of AI.
