Editor’s note: This story was updated with comments made by Alexander Brechalov, head of Russia’s Udmurt Republic.
Ukrainian drones struck multiple targets across Russia and occupied Crimea overnight, including the Russian city of Izhevsk lying over 1,300 kilometers (800 miles) from the Ukrainian border, according to Russian officials and local Telegram channels.
Residents of Izhevsk reported explosions early on July 1, while local authorities confirmed a drone strike on a facility in the city. Alexander Brechalov, head of Russia‘s Udmurt Republic, said emergency services had responded to the attack and that further information would be provided as it became available.
Andrii Kovalenko, the head of the counter-disinformation center at Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council, also commented on the attack, noting that Izhevsk hosts the Electromechanical Plant Kupol that manufactures Harpy-A1 attack drones and Tor air defenses.
Brechalov later reported casualties, citing deaths and serious injuries, but did not provide specific figures.
Russia’s aviation agency temporarily suspended flights in and out of the city’s airport following the incident.
One of the facilities in Izhevsk was targeted by Ukrainian drones — local authorities
“All emergency services have arrived at the scene. I’ll share more details as they come in,” wrote Udmurt Republic head Alexander Brechalov on his Telegram channel.
Earlier, Rosaviatsiya… pic.twitter.com/GSSeSxs4C3
— ASTRA (@ASTRA_PRESS) July 1, 2025
The city was previously targeted on Nov. 17, 2024, when a drone strike damaged a factory known for producing air defense systems, including Tor missile systems and radar components used by the Russian military.
That strike marked the first known Ukrainian drone attack on the region during the full-scale war.
Russia’s Defense Ministry said its air defenses shot down 60 Ukrainian drones overnight across several regions, including 17 over occupied Crimea, 16 over the Rostov Oblast, and 11 over the Sea of Azov. Others were reportedly downed over the Kursk, Saratov, Belgorod, Voronezh, and Oryol oblasts, as well as the Black Sea.
In occupied Crimea, local Telegram channels reported explosions near the town of Kurortne on the Kerch Peninsula, where Russian S-300/S-400 surface-to-air missile systems and radar stations are allegedly located. A monitoring group cited NASA satellite data showing a large fire in the area overnight, though there was no official confirmation of any damage to the air defense assets.
Local residents reported explosions between 0:20 a.m. and 0:50 a.m. in the cities of Kerch and Feodosia.
Ukraine has not officially claimed responsibility for the attacks, and its military intelligence agency has not commented. The Kyiv Independent could not independently verify the information.
Yuliia Taradiuk
