Yelabuga drone factory

Lore & Background

The factory was built near the Kama River, allowing direct transportation from Iran via the Caspian Sea, and was constructed with materials provided by Iran. The facility operates 24 hours a day and produces Shahed-style loitering munitions (referred to as 'boats' within the zone, with 'big boat' for Shahed-136 and 'small boat' for Shahed-131) and Albatross reconnaissance drones. The project is called 'Project Boat,' and code words include 'bumpers' for explosive payloads and 'Ireland' or 'Belarus' for Iran. The agreement between Russia and Iran has been described as a franchise, with Iran sharing project documentation, components, and technical knowledge. The factory opened in July 2023, and Russia initially intended to build 6,000 drones by summer 2025 at a rate of 310 per month, later planning an additional 6,000 Shahed attack drones per year. By April 2024, Western sources reported the plant had already produced 4,500 Shahed drones, with production cost per unit rising to around US$80,000.

Reader's Guide

The Yelabuga drone factory is significant as a central node in Russia's wartime drone production, enabling mass deployment of Shahed-type loitering munitions against Ukraine. The article notes that Russia fired 5,438 long-range drones in June 2025, averaging about 181 per day, based on Ukrainian Air Force data. The factory's reliance on Iranian technology and components, including knock-down kits and technical training, underscores the strategic partnership between Russia and Iran. The facility's staffing challenges are notable: it has employed students as young as 15 from a local polytechnic college, with reports of forced labor, 15-hour shifts without overtime, and confiscation of passports to prevent quitting. Recruitment efforts have extended to Africa, targeting girls and women as young as 16, with promises of subsidized housing and wages. The factory's legacy is tied to its role in sustaining Russia's drone warfare, its controversial labor practices, and its dependence on foreign supply chains, including Western-made components in Iranian drones.

Did You Know?

• The factory is located in the Alabuga Special Economic Zone, more than 1,300 km from the Ukraine-Russia border.
• Drones are referred to as 'boats' within the zone, with 'big boat' meaning Shahed-136 and 'small boat' meaning Shahed-131.
• Leaked data indicated that 90% of an Iranian Shahed-136's computer chips and electrical components are manufactured in the West, primarily in the United States.
• The factory has recruited girls and women from Africa, with over 1,000 women from across Africa reported to have gone to the Special Economic Zone.