Russian Drone Plant Hit by Cruise Missile

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A Russian factory that produces drone parts hundreds of miles behind the front lines was hit last night by a Ukrainian cruise missile leaving columns of black smoke in the air.

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The factory that makes navigation systems for Russia's Shaheds and Kalibr missiles is on fire again - for the second time in 48 hours.

Explosions were reported in Cheboksary, capital of Russia's Chuvash Republic, early on June 10. Thick black smoke rose over the VNIIR-Progress plant - the same facility struck by Ukrainian forces on June 9, roughly 1,000 kilometers from Ukraine's border. Governor Oleg Nikolaev confirmed the attack.

The plant produces Kometa-type GNSS modules used to guide Shahed kamikaze drones, Iskander-M and Kalibr missiles, and UMPK precision guidance kits for glide bombs. It also supplies electronic components for Russia's Yasen-M class nuclear submarines. Both the US and EU have sanctioned the facility.

And that wasn't the only strike last night. Ukrainian drones also hit the Kuibyshev Oil Refinery:

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The Kuibyshev Oil Refinery (Samara Oblast, russia) has an annual processing capacity of 7 million tons of crude oil, accounting for approximately 2.5% of the country’s total refining capacity. The facility produces more than 30 types of petroleum products, including gasoline, diesel fuel, and fuel oil. It is located more than 1,000 km from Ukraine’s state border. The #DeepStrike caused explosions and a fire at the refinery. Damage assessment is ongoing.

Also hit last night was this tanker, part of Russia's shadow fleet which helps Russia sell its oil despite sanctions.

There's no video of this strike for obvious reasons but reports say it was hit in the stern and now has no propulsion. This seems like a pretty good use for Ukrainian drones. Russia has several hundred of these ships but taking out even 20% of them would significantly impact Russia's ability to profit from oil sales.

Finally, there was another attack last night east of Moscow, this one involved a car bomb which killed a Russian general.

A senior Russian military officer died on Tuesday after a car he was driving exploded near a residential building outside Moscow, a senior Ukrainian official and Russian media outlets said...

The Russian authorities did not identify the victim or detail the nature of the criminal case that had been opened. But two Russian and two Ukrainian media outlets said that the man who died was Damir R. Davydov. 

A senior Ukrainian official who requested anonymity to discuss sensitive matters confirmed that Mr. Davydov was the victim and said that he was an officer in the supply department for the Main Missile and Artillery Directorate of the Russian military.

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That's a pretty good night for Ukraine and there's reason to think it won't be the only one this week. Ukraine's drone attacks on Russia are expected to increase this summer. 

Meanwhile, Ukraine is also taking back territory on the front lines, so much so that U.S. generals are now saying Ukraine is winning the war on the ground.

Several retired U.S. generals and the former director of a U.S. intelligence agency told CBS News they believe Ukraine now has the upper hand in the war with Russia.

They gave that assessment to CBS News as Ukraine's top general Oleksandr Syrski said this week that his army has retaken 600 square kilometers — about 232 square miles — from Russia so far this year. Syrski did not say where the gains occurred but said the fighting was heaviest in the country's southeast Oleksandrivka and Huliaipole areas.

"I would assess operationally Ukraine is winning in the context they are defeating enemy operational objectives, creating conditions for follow-on operations and preserving freedom of action," retired Lt. Gen. Robert Ashley, former director of the Defense Intelligence Agency, said in an email this week.

Two generals agreed with Ashley's characterization, stressing the view that on the front lines, Ukraine was outmaneuvering Russia.

They added that this does not mean Ukraine is in a position to overrun the Russian lines and push them out of Ukrainian territory, but it does mean Russia is on the backfoot and may have no progress at all to show for this year despite it losing tens of thousands of soldiers every month.

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