August 5, 2026 / 10:57 AM EDT
/ CBS/AP
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The director of a factory supplying drones to the Russian military was badly wounded when his car exploded, news reports said Wednesday, marking the second attack in a week on Russian drone makers. The state Tass and RIA Novosti agencies said that Vladimir Tkachuk was hospitalized in grave condition following the explosion late Tuesday in Bolshoy Istok just outside Yekaterinburg, about 870 miles east of Moscow. The driver of the car was killed in the explosion, the Reuters news agency reported. Images published on Russian social media channels purported to show the burned out chassis of Tkachuk's Mercedes, surrounded by charred debris.Tass and RIA Novosti didn't immediately give details of the explosion or say who could be responsible. There was no immediate comment from the authorities.Tkachuk headed the Uraldronzavod factory that manufactures Upyr (Russian for "Ghoul") drones. Tkachuk, a small-scale entrepreneur, set up a team of engineers that developed the Upyr and organized its production near Yekaterinburg, Russia's fourth-largest city, and a key industrial hub in the Ural Mountains The Upyr, a cheap and simple first-person view drone, was hailed by troops for the protection it offers against jamming. Tkachuk, who founded the firm in 2023, has been pictured showcasing his drones to President Vladimir Putin.
