Drone Strikes Hit Alcohol Factories in Russia’s Tula Region

Two alcohol factories in Russia’s Tula region were targeted by Ukrainian drones, the region's governor, Dmitry Milyaev, confirmed on Tuesday.

Eyewitness videos shared on Telegram channels show the aftermath of the attack, including visible fire damage.

The explosions occurred in the city of Yefremov, with local residents reporting two powerful blasts at 02:10 am and 02:13 am. The targeted sites were the Efremov alcohol factory and an alcohol factory in the village of Luzhkovsky in the Suvorov district. According to the governor, there were no casualties, and emergency services are actively working on-site to manage the situation.

While the alcohol factories are confirmed as the primary targets, reports on Russian social media suggested that the drones might have hit other industrial locations, such as a synthetic rubber plant or a thermal power plant. However, no official confirmation has been provided on these claims.

This drone attack comes in the wake of a similar incident at the Kremnyi El microelectronics plant in Bryansk on October 19, which resulted in significant damage. That strike disrupted the power supply and production at the facility, which is one of Russia’s largest producers of microelectronics, including components used for military purposes.

U.S. to Allocate $800M for Ukrainian Drone Production

The drone attacks occurred a day after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that the United States is preparing an $800 million military aid package to support drone production by Ukraine's defense industry. However, the U.S. has not officially confirmed this package, and details regarding the specific types of drones remain unclear. On October 21, the U.S. Secretary of Defense announced a separate $400 million military aid package, the 68th tranche, which includes armored personnel carriers, ammunition, and specialized equipment.