On the night of November 10, a series of explosions rocked Staraya Russa in Novgorod Oblast. According to Telegram channels and Ukrainian media reports, a drone strike hit the 123rd Aircraft Repair Plant, which services Russian military transport aviation. The provided materials contain no official confirmation from regional authorities.
What Eyewitnesses and Channels Report
Residents of Staraya Russa reported several explosions in the city on the night of November 10. The Ukrainian outlet RBC-Ukraine, citing footage and Telegram public pages, reported a fire on the enterprise's grounds and fire trucks heading to the aircraft repair plant. As early as the evening of November 9, a UAV threat was declared in Novgorod Oblast, with authorities warning of potential disruptions to mobile internet services.
About the Target Plant
The Novgorod Aircraft Repair Plant (123rd ARZ) repairs and maintains military transport aviation, including Il-76, Il-78, and L-410 aircraft, as well as aircraft engines. The enterprise is considered one of the key facilities for maintaining the combat readiness of the Russian Aerospace Forces' transport and refueling aviation.
Context: Not the First Attack on the Region
According to available data, the plant was already attacked on March 17, when reports indicated that a hangar for servicing Il-76 and L-410 aircraft was hit, along with an A-50 airborne early warning and control aircraft. Earlier, a large-scale fire broke out at a chemical enterprise in Veliky Novgorod, which was reportedly preceded by an attack by unidentified drones.
Moscow's Statements on a Massive Attack
Amid these events, Russia claimed a massive Ukrainian drone attack. The Russian Ministry of Defense reported that air defense systems allegedly intercepted and destroyed over 700 drones. There is no independent verification of these figures in the provided materials.
At the time of publication, official representatives of Novgorod Oblast and the Russian Ministry of Defense have not provided a detailed commentary in accessible sources regarding the consequences of the nighttime incident in Staraya Russa. XAB.info continues to monitor developments.
