The Central Intelligence Agency reports on the attacked Tambov powder factory, highlighting it as one of the critical facilities in the Russian defense industry.
The Tambov Powder Plant (located in the city of Kotovsk, Russia), which may have been hit during today's airstrike, is a significant facility of the military-industrial complex (MIC) of the aggressor country. This enterprise has not been targeted for the first time.
This information was reported by RBK-Ukraine citing the head of the Center for Countering Disinformation (CCD) under the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine Andrey Kovalenko.
"The Tambov Powder Plant of the Russian Federation has already been attacked multiple times. It is one of the key facilities of the Russian MIC involved in the war against Ukraine," he stated in his publication on Telegram.
The head of the CCD pointed out that this plant produces gunpowder, which the Russian side uses for various types of small arms, artillery, and rocket systems.
"It also manufactures collodion, which is used in the creation of explosives and other specialized products," Kovalenko informed.
He concluded that the Tambov Powder Plant is "one of the main suppliers of explosives for the Russian army."
He also added that after the onset of large-scale military aggression by Russia against Ukraine, production at this facility "has significantly increased."
The enterprise has been under sanctions since March 2023.
What is known about the drone attack in the Tambov region on January 16 and on the powder plant
Last night, there were reports in Tambov's public forums and various Russian Telegram channels about a drone attack on the region. According to Russian media, the drone strike was "massive," and a series of explosions were heard near the town of Kuzmino-Gat and the city of Kotovsk, where the powder plant is located.
The Russian side also claimed that air defense systems were operational in the Tambov region.
By morning, the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, reporting on the "repulsion" of the drone attack, claimed that three UAVs were supposedly shot down in the Tambov region that night.
Overall, as stated by the defense ministry of the aggressor country, 27 drones were destroyed over the territories of four regions throughout the night.
It is also worth noting that prior to this, the Tambov Powder Plant was subjected to drone strikes in July 2024 (at that time, sources from RBK-Ukraine reported that the operation was conducted by the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense), and this Russian enterprise was also attacked by UAVs on January 19 of the same year, as well as in November 2023.