Vladimir Tkachuk, the director of Uraldronzavod – a factory that supplies drones to the Russian military – was badly wounded when the car he was travelling in exploded, killing his driver. The blast occurred late Tuesday in Bolshoy Istok just outside Yekaterinburg and was reported on Wednesday.
According to state agencies Tass and RIA Novosti, Tkachuk was taken to a hospital in a grave condition after the explosion. The authorities have not issued any comment on the incident, and no further details about the cause or any suspects have been released. The Moscow Times confirms that Tkachuk was the CEO of the drone‑making plant, underscoring the significance of the loss for Russia’s aerial‑weapon production.
Uraldronzavod is a key supplier of unmanned aerial vehicles to the Russian armed forces; an incident involving its top executive raises concerns about the stability and security of the country's drone manufacturing infrastructure.