WP: In Tatarstan, they plan to release 6 thousand advanced “Shahdov” by the summer of 2025

In the special economic zone (SEZ) Alabuga in Tatarstan, it is planned to produce 6 thousand drones of the Shakud type by the summer of 2025, writes The Washington Post with reference to documents at the disposal of the editorial office as a result of the leak. As follows from the data obtained, despite delays related to the lack of imported electronic components, Moscow is advancing to its goal to create its own version of the Iranian shock drone “Shakud-136”.

As part of the project, under the code name “Project Boat”, engineers are trying to improve the obsolete Iranian technologies using the experience of Russian industry in order to produce drones faster and in better quality. In addition, Russian experts strive to improve the drones themselves so that they are capable of mass attacks in which UAVs will independently coordinate blows on targets.

Experts of the Institute of Science and International Security in Washington studied the documents obtained by WP and came to the conclusion that so far in Alabug, no more than 300 drones were produced, and Russian production in them only corps, and the rest of the components are Iranian. Experts doubted that the planned 6 thousand UAVs will be made on time.

WP claims that she received secret documents from a person who is related to the work of Alabuga, but does not support the invasion of Ukraine. The papers include factory drawings, technical schemes, posts about personnel, memorandums provided by Iranian colleagues, and presentations prepared for representatives of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation.

The fact that the Iranian “Shahda” under the Russian name “Gerani” will be produced in Tatarstan, in early July, the publication “Protocol” reported. Later it became known that the assembly of the UAV was engaged in the students of the Alabuga Polytech college, including minors.