Russian Drone Factory Director Badly Injured in Car Explosion

MOSCOW (AP) — The director of a drone factory in the Urals was badly wounded Wednesday when his car exploded, the state Tass news agency reported.

Tass said that Vladimir Tkachuk was hospitalized in grave condition following the explosion. It didn’t immediately give details of the explosion or say who could be responsible.

Tkachuk headed the Uraldrinzavod factory that manufactured the Upyr drones for the Russian military.

In Yekaterinburg, the car of Vladimir Tkachuk, CEO of Uraldronzavod, which produces “Upyr” drones for the Russian army, was blown up.

Tkachuk is in intensive care in critical condition, and his driver was killed. pic.twitter.com/Vlnn7e2YIz

— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) August 5, 2026