The city of Cheboksary, located in the Chuvash Republic of Russia, experienced a significant drone attack early this morning, according to regional authorities. Oleg Nikolaev, the head of the Chuvash Republic, reported that the assault occurred in the Novoyuzhny district and the surrounding area.
In his statement via Telegram, Nikolaev confirmed that there were no casualties or damage to major structures, although emergency services were deployed to the scene to assess the situation. He later mentioned a second wave of drone activity but urged residents to remain calm.
Local reports, including information from the Telegram channel Astra, indicated that explosions were heard in the city, with some residents sharing images of smoke rising from the area. It appears that the drone strikes targeted the defense enterprise VNDIR-Progres, which is known to supply the Russian military.
The Russian Ministry of Defense claimed that its air defense systems intercepted and destroyed 43 Ukrainian drones overnight. This included 21 drones shot down over Bryansk, six over Belgorod, five over Kursk, and two each over Rostov and the Chuvash Republic. Additionally, six drones were reportedly neutralized over occupied Crimea, and one over the Black Sea.
VNDIR-Progres is part of the ABS Electro production association and has been noted for manufacturing antennas that protect Russian drones from Ukrainian electronic warfare systems.
Cheboksary faced drone attacks targeting a local defense facility, with authorities reporting no casualties. The Russian military claimed to have intercepted numerous drones in the region.