OSINT Report: Russia expands production of Shahed drones

Capacity is being developed at a company that manufactures Shahed drones in Russia’s Alabuga Special Economic Zone in Tatarstan. 

Source: the open-source intelligence channel Dnipro OSINT on Telegram, as reported by Mezha media, a technology and IT news platform within Ukrainska Pravda’s holding company 

Details: To support this claim, the channel has posted a satellite image showing new building work over a total area of about 1.39 square kilometres.

"Most of the new buildings are sleeping quarters for new factory workers, including people who are students, Tajiks or of mixed ethnicity. The Russians are increasing the pace of production of Shaheds and are not going to stop," said the statement.

Background: 

• Russia began to independently produce Shahed-136 drones in 2023. A plant was set up in the city of Yelabuga in the Alabuga Special Economic Zone in Tatarstan, 1,200 kilometres from the front line.
• Here the Russians produce drones called Geran-2, a localised version of the Iranian drone. In April 2024, Ukraine launched its first strike on the plant in Yelabuga. Other similar attacks have occurred since then, but they have been isolated and have not yet caused serious damage.
• The International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) has recorded that since 2023, the area devoted to production in Yelabuga has doubled. Five new buildings have appeared here, some of which are equipped with structures to protect against Ukrainian drones and which are fenced.
• After the establishment of the Yelabuga facility, the number of attacks using Shaheds began to grow systematically. For example, by July 2024, the Russian Federation was launching up to 500 drones per month, and in March 2025, this figure had reached almost 4,200 units.
• Ukraine’s Defence Intelligence noted that Russian production of Shaheds and their decoys had reached about 170 units per day by May 2025. This figure is planned to grow to 190 drones per day by the end of the year.

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