Ukrainian drones reportedly struck industrial sites in Tolyatti and Taganrog on September 12, according to Russian Telegram channels.

Ukrainian forces reportedly targeted industrial sites in the Russian cities of Tolyatti and Taganrog on September 12 using long-range drones. Telegram monitoring channels reported fires at a rubber manufacturing plant in Tolyatti and a car manufacturing facility in Taganrog. The Kyiv Independent could not independently verify the reports or the extent of the damage, and the Ukrainian military has not commented on the strikes.

Reported strikes in Tolyatti and Taganrog

In Tolyatti, Samara Oblast, footage shared by residents purportedly shows drones flying over the city and a building on fire, with additional reports of damage to a residential building from a downed drone. Tolyatti is located approximately 900 kilometers from the Ukrainian border. A rubber factory in the same city was previously struck by Ukrainian drones on June 12, an attack later confirmed by Ukraine's General Staff due to the plant's role in producing solid rocket fuel. In Taganrog, Rostov Oblast, resident footage shows large fires near an airfield, with NASA's Fire Information for Resource Management System confirming multiple fires in the city. Taganrog is situated about 40 kilometers east of the Ukrainian border on the coast of the Sea of Azov.

Context of long-range drone campaign

The reported strikes are part of an ongoing campaign by Ukraine to target Russian manufacturing plants that supply the nation's military. On September 9, Ukraine's Special Operations Forces conducted a strike on a natural gas facility located 3,200 kilometers from the border. Additionally, President Volodymyr Zelensky stated on September 1 that Russian airspace would be effectively closed to international travel due to the threat posed by Ukrainian drones.