Key facts
- Russia plans to expand its capacity to produce tens of thousands of kamikaze drones annually.
- The expansion involves state firm Rosatom's Alabuga-Volokno factory in Tatarstan.
- The project aims to increase production of military-grade aerospace carbon fiber by 500 tons per year by 2029.
- This increase could translate to an additional 28,000 weaponized drones annually, a 78% rise.
- The factory is a key node in Russia's military-industrial supply chain and is sanctioned by the U.K., U.S., and others.
- Russia aims to reduce reliance on imports from China for drone components.
Russia is reportedly planning a significant expansion of its drone production capabilities, aiming to boost its capacity for manufacturing kamikaze drones by increasing domestic carbon fiber output. Documents obtained by POLITICO suggest that Rosatom, a Russian state-owned corporation, intends to expand its Alabuga-Volokno factory in Tatarstan.
The expansion project, approved by the Russian government in May, aims to produce an additional 500 tons of military-grade aerospace carbon fiber annually by 2029. This material is crucial for building the lightweight airframes of drones like the 'Geran' (based on Iran's Shahed design). According to expert estimates, this increased carbon fiber production could enable Russia to manufacture approximately 28,000 more weaponized drones each year, representing a 78% increase over current production levels. Ukraine estimates Russia can currently produce over 36,000 kamikaze drones annually.
Satellite images captured between May and July show land adjacent to the Alabuga-Volokno factory being cleared for construction, indicating that the expansion is already underway. Weapons expert David Albright, who has reviewed satellite imagery, noted that the foundation for the new factory is being prepared and that rapid construction is required to meet a projected 2027 completion timeline.
The Alabuga-Volokno factory and its parent company, UMATEX, are subject to sanctions from the U.K., U.S., and other Western governments. The factory is considered a vital component of Russia's military-industrial supply chain. Earlier this year, POLITICO reported on a disguised shipment of 46 tons of carbon-fiber chemicals from a Chinese state corporation to the factory. The Chinese embassy in Washington stated it was unaware of the expansion plans and controls exports of dual-use items.
Business, design, and structural plans for the expansion and its equipment were gathered from Russian sources by the Ukrainian Security and Cooperation Centre (USCC). The U.S. House Select Committee on China and the Ukrainian government have reviewed these documents and confirmed their authenticity. Rosatom declined to comment on the documents.