Ukrainian drones hit Russian distilleries crucial for war effort

Following attacks on the Russian oil industry, Ukrainians targeted another critical sector, which at first glance may seem unrelated to the arms industry. These distilleries produce ethanol, which, besides being used in the food industry, also has applications in missile production.

During the war, ethanol was in high demand, and Russia could meet only 30% of its domestic needs. The remainder of the ammunition comes from North Korea (60%) and Iran (10%). Therefore, every impact on Russia’s production capabilities is immensely valuable. The video below shows a nighttime drone attack hitting one of the tanks.

Due to their availability and low production costs, Russia uses ethanol as a solvent in explosive material factories. It is a key component in the production of TNT, which is the most common filler for bombs and shells.

Both Russia and Ukraine use several thousand artillery shells daily, in addition to aerial bombs and tank ammunition. For example, the most popular Russian artillery shells, with calibers of 122 mm and 152 mm, contain 5.5-7.7 pounds and 17.6 pounds of explosives, respectively.

These shells enable Russian artillery to target locations approximately 12 miles away, depending on the artillery system used. Systems with shorter barrels, such as the 2S1 Goździk, have a range of up to 9 miles, while D-74 guns with longer barrels can reach up to 15 miles using the same shells.

Another widely used Russian weapon is the unguided rocket fired from multiple rocket launchers. For the popular BM-21 Grad with a 122 mm caliber, each 9M28F rocket contains 13 pounds of explosives; for the 220 mm rockets 9M27F, it's approximately 110 pounds.

Furthermore, the formidable FAB bombs with UMPK modules in the FAB-3000 variant, weighing three tons, demand as much as 3,300 pounds of explosives. Meanwhile, the lighter variants, FAB-1500 and FAB-500, require 1,500 pounds and 660 pounds of TNT, respectively.