On May 29, explosions were reported in Cheboksary, the capital of the Chuvash Republic in Russia, prompting authorities to declare a missile threat in the region.
Local sources indicated that sirens were activated in Cheboksary and other cities within the republic due to the missile threat. Warnings were disseminated through radio and television broadcasts, and social media platforms featured images and videos showing smoke rising from the sites of the explosions.
Reports confirmed that explosions were heard across three districts in Cheboksary. Notably, the city is situated nearly 1,000 kilometers from the Ukrainian border.
In response to the situation, Cheboksary’s mayor, Stanislav Trofimov, stated that the information circulating online regarding the explosions was inaccurate. Despite this, operations at Cheboksary Airport were suspended, and passengers were advised to vacate the terminal and disperse across the airport grounds.
Cheboksary is home to the VNIIR-Progress plant, located approximately 1,000 kilometers from Ukraine’s border. This facility is part of the ABS Electro manufacturing association and produces components for military applications, including GNSS receivers and antennas for satellite systems such as GLONASS, GPS, and Galileo. These components are utilized in drones, including kamikaze drones like the Shahed, as well as in missiles from the Iskander-M and Kalibr systems.
On May 5, Ukrainian drones previously targeted Cheboksary, striking the VNIIR-Progress plant and igniting a significant fire on the premises. This was not the first attack on the facility; it had been previously struck in November of the previous year and during the summer. Following these incidents, fires were reported at the plant, leading to temporary suspensions of its operations.
Explosions were reported in Cheboksary, Russia, leading to a missile threat alert. Local officials disputed the veracity of the reports while airport operations were suspended.