Ukraine Strikes Major Russian Aircraft Plant, Says General Staff

Key Developments on March 18

On March 18, several significant events unfolded in the ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia. These developments highlight the continuous efforts by Ukrainian forces to disrupt Russian military operations and infrastructure.

Major Russian Aircraft Manufacturing Plant Hit in Ukrainian Strike

Ukraine’s General Staff reported that its troops struck an aircraft manufacturing plant in Russia’s Ulyanovsk Oblast on March 16. The Aviastar aircraft manufacturing plant, located approximately 800 kilometers (about 500 miles) deep inside Russia, was targeted. According to the General Staff, building structures designed to hold aircraft and aircraft parking areas were hit. However, the specific weapons used for the strike were not disclosed. Moscow has yet to respond to the report, and the Kyiv Independent could not independently verify the information.

The Ulyanovsk Oblast Governor, Alexey Russkikh, claimed that five Ukrainian drones were intercepted and destroyed by Russian air defense over the region on March 16. He made no mention of the aircraft manufacturing plant allegedly suffering a hit.

Aviastar, part of the United Aircraft Corporation, produces Il-76 MD-90A heavy military transport aircraft and Il-78M-90A refueling aircraft. It also provides maintenance for An-124 Ruslan cargo aircraft. The General Staff noted that the company’s premises sustained varying degrees of damage, with the extent still under assessment.

The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) cited an unnamed Ukrainian source on March 16, stating that the Aviastar aircraft manufacturing plant was struck as media reports began to surface online.

The General Staff emphasized that the Ukrainian Armed Forces will continue to target key strategic facilities involved in supporting the Russian Federation’s military until the aggression against Ukraine is halted.

Ukraine Hits Russian Aircraft Repair Plant in Novgorod Oblast

On March 18, Ukraine’s General Staff reported that it had struck an aircraft repair plant in Russia’s Novgorod Oblast, about 750 kilometers (about 466 miles) inside Russia. The 123rd Aircraft Repair Plant in Staraya Russa was targeted on March 17, with facilities including a hangar used to service Il-76 and L-410 aircraft being hit. The extent of the damage is still being assessed.

This plant specializes in the repair and modernization of military transport aircraft and their components. It has its own runway, allowing it to receive heavy aircraft directly on-site. The Kyiv Independent could not independently verify the General Staff’s report.

Command Post of Elite Russian Rubikon Drone Unit Hit in Occupied Donetsk

Ukraine’s Special Operations Forces (SSO) reported on March 18 that long-range Ukrainian drones struck a command post of Moscow’s elite drone unit known as the Rubikon Center for Unmanned Technologies in Russian-occupied Donetsk. The SSO stated that the overnight strikes also hit a coordination center for Russian unmanned systems units, along with ammunition depots, unspecified equipment, and a storage site in a village about a two-hour drive southwest of the occupied city.

Rubikon, which continues to post drone footage of the unit’s work against Ukrainian forces, has not commented on the SSO’s claim. The Russian Defense Ministry has also not reacted to the SSO’s claim. The SSO claims that “underground members” of the Resistance Movement against Russian occupation have helped its troops conduct the drone strikes.

Russian Drones Hit SBU Office in Western Ukraine’s Lviv Oblast

On the evening of March 18, Russian drones targeted the western Ukrainian city of Lviv and surrounding region, according to regional authorities. Drones hit the regional headquarters of Ukraine’s State Security Service (SBU) in Lviv Oblast, causing damage to the building. Governor Maksym Kozytskyi reported no casualties but warned residents of possible drone fragments in the city.

Earlier, Lviv Mayor Andrii Sadovyi warned residents at around 10:13 p.m. local time that Russian Shahed-type drones were headed for the city. Shortly afterward, a Kyiv Independent journalist in Lviv reported that air defenses were active in the area. Aerial alerts were also activated in the western regions of Ternopil and Ivano-Frankivsk.

Lviv lies about 70 kilometers (43 miles) from the Polish border and is not a frequent target of Russian aerial attacks. Still, the city has been hit by drones and missiles throughout the war, with mass attacks sometimes prompting Polish air defenses to scramble fighter jets in response. Lviv was also the site of a terrorist attack in February that targeted local law enforcement, killing two victims and injuring 24.