Russian drone factory director seriously injured in car explosion

Vladimir Tkachuk, the director of a factory producing drones for the Russian military, was severely injured when his car exploded late Tuesday. He was hospitalized in grave condition following the blast in Bolshoy Istok, near Yekaterinburg.

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The director of a factory supplying drones to the Russian military was badly wounded when his car exploded, news reports said Wednesday, marking the second attack in a week on Russian drone makers.

The explosion also killed the driver of the car. Images circulating on Russian social media appear to show the burned-out remains of Tkachuk's Mercedes. Tkachuk heads the Uraldronzavod factory, which manufactures the Upyr drone, described as a cheap and simple first-person view drone praised by troops for its resistance to jamming.

Tkachuk, a small-scale entrepreneur, established the engineering team that developed the Upyr and organized its production. He had previously been pictured showcasing his drones to President Vladimir Putin. The Upyr drone was reportedly developed and its production organized by Tkachuk near Yekaterinburg, a major industrial hub.

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The Upyr, a cheap and simple first-person view drone, was hailed by troops for the protection it offers against jamming.

This incident marks the second attack in a week targeting Russian drone manufacturers. Last week, the director and founder of another Russian drone company was wounded in a shooting, which prosecutors are investigating as an attempted murder. Ukraine has not immediately commented on this latest attack.

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Last week, the director and founder of a different Russian drone manufacturer was wounded in a shooting, in what prosecutors described as an "attempted murder."

Russian authorities have accused Kyiv of orchestrating a series of attacks against military officials since Moscow's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The car explosion occurred one day after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy shared a video he claimed showed Russian soldiers abusing civilians with a drone.

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Russian authorities have blamed Kyiv for a series of bombings and other attacks against senior military officials after Moscow sent troops into Ukraine in February 2022.