In a daring move, Ukrainian forces launched a drone attack on a Russian aircraft facility, targeting the Beriev Aircraft Company plant in Taganrog, southwestern Russia. The attack reportedly took place overnight on Friday, according to regional Governor Vasily Golubev.

While the Russian Defense Ministry has not yet commented on the incident, military bloggers in Russia claimed that the attack specifically aimed at the site responsible for producing Be-200 amphibious aircraft. However, it was revealed that an A-50 Russian long-range radar detection aircraft, previously damaged in a drone attack attributed to Kyiv, was undergoing repairs at the plant during the strike, as reported by Ukrainian online newspaper Pravda Ukraine.

The factory in Taganrog specializes in the repair of A-50s, which carry a hefty price tag of $300 million, according to Serhiy Bratchuk, a spokesman for the Odesa regional military administration. It remains unknown if the nearby A-50U was directly hit during the attack, as there is conflicting information. However, footage geolocation confirmed that part of the Beriev site was struck by a drone.

Bratchuk praised the operation, hailing it as an "incredibly successful" use of kamikaze drones in the rear of the Russian Federation. He added that such powerful strikes could significantly disrupt the plant's operations for an extended period.

During the drone attacks on Friday night, the Russian Defense Ministry reported that its air defense intercepted one of the devices in Rostov, Belgorod, Kursk, and Volgograd Oblasts. Moscow authorities have recently observed an increase in Ukrainian drone strikes targeting various regions within Russia.

The loss of the A-50 last month, which some Kremlin-friendly milbloggers speculated may have been a result of friendly fire, dealt a severe blow to Moscow's air capabilities. In response, British defense officials stated last week that Russia had likely grounded its A-50, compromising its air crew's situational awareness. This development poses a problem for Russia in the contested airspace over eastern and southern Ukraine.

To counter the setback, Moscow is reportedly planning to repurpose existing aircraft and reactivate previously decommissioned A-50 airframes, aiming to bolster its strained air fleet to provide support to ground troops. Recent weeks have seen Russia suffer the loss of several fighter planes, including a dozen Sukhoi Su-35s and Su-34s within a fortnight.

The ramifications of these drone attacks and the subsequent damage to Russia's air capabilities continue to unfold, raising tensions between Ukraine and Russia and further intensifying the conflict in the region.