On the night of July 4, Ukraine carried out an attack on targets within Russian territory using a newly designed drone to strike military-industrial facilities. One of the primary targets was the Azov Optical-Mechanical Plant in the city of Azov, Rostov Oblast, part of the Russian corporation Tactical Missiles. This operation was conducted in response to a large-scale Russian airstrike against Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities earlier.
Videos and photos circulated on Russian social media captured the moment of impact, showing the fall of a long-range Ukrainian drone. The drone’s silhouette indicates a hybrid aerodynamic design: its delta-shaped wing resembles Iranian Shahed models, while it also features nose aerodynamic elements and vertical tail fins, a design similar to the Israeli kamikaze drone IAI Harop.
Analysts believe this hybrid design was developed to improve flight stability and targeting accuracy when striking predefined targets.
The damaged plant holds strategic importance for Russia’s military-industrial complex, producing electronics for precision artillery, anti-tank systems, and radar homing heads for tactical missiles. The Azov Optical-Mechanical Plant is subject to sanctions by the U.S., EU, Canada, Switzerland, New Zealand, and Ukraine due to its role in supplying components to the Russian armed forces.
Source: Defence-blog
