This morning, a Ukrainian drone attacked the control center of a major gas pipeline in the Saratov region. A video of the drone’s approach was posted on the Telegram channel Supernova+. The UAV bears a strong visual resemblance to the Ukrainian kamikaze drone “Lyutyi,” a model reportedly used by Ukrainian forces to target strategic assets in Russian territory.
The footage shows the drone executing a steep dive toward the facility while workers and bystanders observe and record the event on their phones. Shortly thereafter, an explosion is heard – indicating the detonation of the drone’s warhead – followed by the appearance of smoke in the frame.
Later, the governor of the Saratov region, Roman Busargin, confirmed the attack. According to him, a “non-residential facility” was damaged, though he did not specify which site was targeted. However, Russian Telegram channels and social media reports indicated that the target was a linear production facility for main gas pipelines (LVUMG) located in the city of Petrovsk. The site is approximately 600 km from the Ukrainian border.
The Petrovsk LVUMG is reported to be a subsidiary of PJSC Gazprom, responsible for the transportation of natural gas and supply to settlements in the Saratov and Penza regions. The facility oversees more than 1,000 km of pipelines and consists of 21 structural units. It houses five compressor workshops and high-capacity gas pumping units, enabling it to transport up to 90 million cubic meters of gas per day.
The “Lutyi” is a long-range Ukrainian kamikaze drone equipped with a fixed tricycle landing gear, allowing it to take off in a conventional aircraft-style manner from runways or even highways. Over the past year, it has been used multiple times to successfully strike strategically significant targets in Russia, including oil refineries, fuel depots, and the Engels airbase.
This drone is equipped with an internal combustion engine and a three-bladed pusher propeller located at the rear. The front section features a hatch that provides access to the warhead compartment. Unlike the cone-shaped penetrating explosive warhead used in Shahed drones, the “Lutyi” carries a fragmentation warhead. The warhead weighs up to 75 kg, with approximately 50 kg of explosive material. The drone’s takeoff weight is around 250-300 kg.
Source: mil
