Underground: Russia Fortifies Its Largest Drone Production Facility Against Ukrainian Strikes
Russia is constructing extensive underground production facilities at the Alabuga industrial complex in Tatarstan in an effort to protect its drone manufacturing lines.
According to estimates by Dnipro OSINT, a Ukrainian analyst specializing in open-source intelligence, approximately 42,000 square meters of underground space have already been completed at the site, which has become a major production center for Geran-2 drones.
However, the intended final use of these facilities has not been independently confirmed.
The expansion follows repeated attacks targeting the industrial facilities at the complex, which is located near the city of Yelabuga, approximately 1,200 kilometers from the Ukrainian border.
Satellite imagery and open-source analysis indicate that underground construction work has accelerated. Moscow, however, has issued no official statement clarifying the nature of the facilities or the functions they will perform.
A Vast Industrial Complex
Alabuga is no longer limited to a small number of drone assembly facilities. It has developed into an extensive industrial network encompassing the manufacture of composite airframes, engine production, metalworking, electronics and electrical wiring, as well as final assembly and storage.
Satellite images show that the site has expanded from two buildings during its initial stages to dozens of facilities, while the complex now covers a total area of more than 2.8 million square meters.
Approximately 15% of the facilities within the Alabuga Special Economic Zone are believed to be connected to drone production.
The expansion has enabled Russia to increase the frequency with which it deploys these systems in attacks against Ukraine, while Moscow continues to allocate military resources to address broader security challenges.
From Hundreds of Drones a Month to Large-Scale Production
In July 2025, Russian media published footage from inside the Alabuga plant showing hundreds of completed drones at what has been described as the largest facility of its kind.
Since mid-2022, Russia has significantly expanded its industrial capacity in this sector.
According to The Economist, production of Geran-2 drones has increased from approximately 300 units per month to more than 100 per day. Plans reportedly call for production capacity to reach 500 drones a day.
The program has also developed new variants, including drones equipped to carry anti-tank mines.
Reports published in June 2025 also indicated that approximately 25,000 North Korean industrial workers had been sent to Russia to support production in Tatarstan.
Ukrainian intelligence assessments cited in those reports said the move had strengthened the workforce allocated to the sector.
Regardless of how the underground facilities are ultimately used, their construction indicates that Russia is seeking to increase the Alabuga complex’s resilience against strikes and ensure the continuity of high-volume drone production.
Protecting industrial infrastructure is consequently becoming an increasingly important component of the war between Moscow and Kyiv.
