Fire Spreads Across 5,000 Square Meters at Drone Assembly Site in Russia’s Alabuga Zone

A large fire broke out on November 28 at a warehouse in the Alabuga Special Economic Zone in Russia’s Republic of Tatarstan—a site known for assembling Shahed-type drones used in attacks against Ukraine.

According to Russian media and the Telegram channel ASTRA, the fire started at a battery storage facility. The fire area was initially estimated at 1,000 square meters but later expanded. Officials confirmed that it had grown to 5,000 square meters.

Over 300 employees were evacuated from the site, and no injuries have been officially reported. Emergency responders were deployed to the scene, with firefighting helicopters reportedly being considered to contain the blaze.

Alabuga is one of Russia’s key drone production hubs. Since 2023, the facility has been used to assemble and modify Iranian-designed Shahed-136 drones—which Russia rebrands as “Geran-2”—for use in Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine. The site also reportedly works on the development of other drone types.

Earlier, a rocket exploded during launch at a major Russian missile test range in the Orenburg region, sending a towering plume of purple smoke over the nearby town of Yasny.

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