Satellite Images Show Russia's New Attack Drone Launch Sites
Satellite imagery has revealed a significant expansion of Russia’s drone warfare capabilities, showing new launch sites specifically designed for exploding attack drones across three bases within Russian territory. The high-resolution images, initially reported by Business Insider on August 19, 2025, depict what appear to be dedicated launch rails, extensive runways, and hardened shelters, alongside Shahed-style unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), underscoring Moscow’s intensifying reliance on these devastating weapons.
The revealed infrastructure points to a concerted effort by Russia to streamline and escalate its drone operations. One newly identified site is located in Russian-occupied Ukrainian territory, approximately 50 kilometers from the front line at the Donetsk airport, where specialists observed the construction of facilities for storing drones, control nodes, and prepared runways for both Shahed-136/131 loitering munitions and Gerbera decoy drones. Beyond the frontline, other major droneports have been identified deeper within Russia, including one in the Oryol region, roughly 175 kilometers from the Ukrainian border, which features eight stationary launchers. The Primorsko-Akhtarsk airbase, another key launch hub for long-range drones, has also been equipped with eight fixed drone launch systems and an adjacent airstrip supporting mobile launches from vehicles, though this site recently sustained damage from Ukrainian strikes.
This infrastructure surge supports Russia’s burgeoning domestic drone production. Moscow aims to manufacture an astonishing 79,000 Shahed-type drones in 2025, a dramatic increase that follows a fivefold rise in long-range drone production within the last year, according to Ukrainian intelligence. The Alabuga Special Economic Zone, located over 600 miles east of Moscow, has emerged as the central hub for this localized manufacturing, churning out Russian-rebranded Shahed-131, Shahed-136, and Shahed-238 loitering munitions, known as Geran-1, Geran-2, and Geran-3, respectively, along with Gerbera decoys. Russia has already completed its initial target of producing 6,000 Shaheds at Alabuga by September 2025 well ahead of schedule, demonstrating the scale of its accelerated output.
The evolution of these drones is equally concerning. New variants of the Shahed-136, including the ‘Ъ-series’ with previously unseen markings, are now appearing. Beyond basic models, Russia is deploying Shaheds with a wide array of warheads, from blast-fragmentation to thermobaric and even napalm-like versions that spread self-igniting liquids. In a particularly alarming development, some Shaheds have been adapted to drop anti-tank mines on Ukrainian highways, creating new and unexpected dangers far behind the front lines. There are also reports of faster, high-flying jet-powered Shaheds forcing Ukraine to expend more advanced air defense missiles.
This proliferation of drone capabilities is part of a broader, well-funded national strategy. Russia has allocated significant resources, with 243 billion rubles ($3 billion) for drone manufacturing between 2022 and 2025, and an additional 112 billion rubles ($1.38 billion) planned for the next three years. President Vladimir Putin has called for the rapid development and deployment of separate drone forces within the military, targeting their establishment by the third quarter of 2025. While Moscow often publicly touts civilian applications for these unmanned systems in areas like agriculture and infrastructure monitoring, the inherent nature of the technology blurs the lines, enabling seamless transition to military use.
The impact on the battlefield is undeniable. Russia launched a record 6,129 Shahed-type drones in July 2025, following 5,337 in June, and aims to unleash single salvos of up to 2,000 drones. These loitering munitions are a cornerstone of Russia’s long-range strike arsenal, consistently targeting Ukrainian cities, critical infrastructure, and energy facilities. Furthermore, Russian drone innovations are achieving battlefield air interdiction effects, striking Ukrainian logistics and command posts near the front lines, which is proving crucial to Russian advances. The expansion of these dedicated launch facilities marks a new phase in Russia’s drone warfare, signaling a long-term commitment to a strategy that is increasingly reshaping the conflict.