#ETHBreaks3700
RUSSIA 🇷🇺: RUSSIA IS MASS-PRODUCING CHEAP BUT DEADLY DRONES FOR THE WAR IN UKRAINE:
Russia is currently producing thousands of Geran-2 drones at a special factory located in Alabuga, Tatarstan. These drones are Russian copies of the Iranian Shahed-136, the flying machines that explode upon impact. Russia used to buy them directly from Iran, but to avoid sanctions and become more independent, it decided to manufacture them itself.
These drones are inexpensive compared to a cruise missile. They can fly up to 1,500 km and carry an explosive payload of 40 to 50 kg, enough to destroy buildings or military vehicles. Russia sends them in dozens to wear down Ukrainian air defenses, which have to spend very expensive missiles to shoot them down.
The Alabuga factory is a strategic location: it benefits from tax advantages and manages to circumvent sanctions by importing electronic components from China, Turkey, or the United Arab Emirates. Iranian and Chinese companies also work there. Russia aims to produce up to 6,000 drones per year at this factory.
In Ukraine, these drones are causing damage: they target power plants, arms depots, and cities. Ukrainian defenses are struggling to intercept them, despite help from the West providing anti-aircraft guns (Gepard) and electronic jammers.
Behind this, there is an alliance between Russia and Iran: Iran provides drone technology, and in return, Russia supplies it with fighter jets or missiles. The danger is that other countries might also start manufacturing these cheap drones, which would change the way wars are fought.
Recently, investigations revealed that Iranian students were working at the Alabuga factory, and the United States has sanctioned Chinese companies accused of assisting Russia.
