Drone attack reported at Russia's 123rd Aviation Plant in Novgorod Oblast
Drones attacked the 123rd Aviation Plant in Novgorod Oblast overnight, and a fire was reported at the facility. Ukrainian monitoring channels identified the plant as the likely target, but Russian officials confirmed damage only to an unspecified industrial site and did not identify the affected facility. The scale of damage to the plant remains unconfirmed.
Key points
- The attack occurred overnight on November 10 in Novgorod Oblast, roughly 60 km south of Veliky Novgorod.
- Ukrainian monitoring channels identified the 123rd Aviation Plant in Staraya Russa as the likely target.
- A fire was reported at the plant and confirmed by eyewitness footage.
- The extent of damage to production facilities, repair hangars and aircraft remains unconfirmed.
- One industrial facility and two dacha houses were reported damaged.
- The plant repairs Il-76, Il-78 and L-410 aircraft, along with aviation engines, and operates its own airfield.
- Russia's Defense Ministry said 155 Ukrainian drones were intercepted and destroyed across several Russian regions and occupied Crimea.
Why it matters
The 123rd Aviation Plant services military transport aircraft such as Il-76, Il-78 and L-410, as well as aviation engines, operates its own airfield and carries out Russia's state defense order. A reported strike therefore affects a facility tied to Russian military aviation maintenance, although the available evidence does not establish the scale of the damage.
What happened
Drones attacked Novgorod Oblast overnight on November 10, with residents reporting a series of explosions near the 123rd Aviation Plant in the Gorodok district of Staraya Russa. Eyewitness footage showed a fire on the plant's grounds. Ukrainian monitoring channels said the plant was the likely target. Novgorod Oblast governor Oleksandr Dronov reported that one industrial facility was damaged and that falling drone debris damaged two dacha houses, but did not identify the affected facility. No precise confirmation has been provided of damage to production buildings, repair hangars or aircraft, and the scale of the strike remains unestablished. Ukrainian military authorities did not comment.
How Ukrainian sources describe it
Ukrainian outlets identify the 123rd Aviation Plant as the probable target and emphasize its role in servicing military transport aircraft and fulfilling Russia's defense order. Their reports also note that the fire was documented by eyewitnesses, while damage to industrial infrastructure or aircraft remains unconfirmed.
Where reporting differs
Ukrainian monitoring channels named the 123rd Aviation Plant as the likely target. Russian officials confirmed only that one industrial facility was damaged and did not identify it, so the plant's direct involvement and the extent of the damage have not been officially confirmed.
Background
The 123rd Aviation Plant is located in Staraya Russa and belongs to Rostec through the United Aircraft Corporation. It is under sanctions by the United States, the European Union, Japan and other countries. Ukrainian monitoring channels identified the plant as the likely target. The plant was also attacked by drones in March 2026, when satellite imagery recorded holes in the roof of one hangar and a Russian A-50 airborne early-warning aircraft was reportedly hit.