Ukrainian forces conducted a precision drone strike against a critical Russian military intelligence site during the night of 2 May.
According to the Center for Countering Disinformation under Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council, drones reached Military Unit No. 33443 in the village of Moskovskoye, Stavropol Krai. The facility, codenamed Zvezda (“Star”), is part of Russia’s space electronic reconnaissance system and falls under the Main Intelligence Directorate (GRU) of the General Staff.
Stavropol Krai Governor Vladimir Vladimirov confirmed the attack, stating: “The fall of drone fragments was recorded in the village of Moskovskoye in the Izobilnensky District.” Preliminary reports indicated no casualties or damage to infrastructure.
Earlier that day, Vladimirov had declared a “drone danger” alert at approximately 07:30, which was canceled around 11:40.
Попередньо БПЛА здійснили атаку на об'єкт російської космічної розвідки "Звезда", який належить до підрозділу особливого призначення воєнної розвідки ГРУ РФ.
— Генсек НАТО (@GensekNato15656) May 2, 2025
З трьох дронів, що брали участь у двіжі, зафіксовано одне влучання. Подальша доля двох інших наразі невідома pic.twitter.com/6jl2hHbZK3
Soviet-era spy center revealed as key intel node
Operational since the early 1970s during the Soviet era, the Zvezda facility functions as a space signal intelligence hub. It specializes in intercepting communications from NATO satellites and other foreign satellite systems, including commercial channels.
Andriy Kovalenko, head of Ukraine’s Center for Countering Disinformation, described the facility as “not only a technical base, but part of the strategic architecture of Russian intelligence,” supporting both battlefield monitoring and psychological operations.
The site is known for its distinctive array of about two dozen parabolic antennas and lies more than 450 kilometers from the front lines in Ukraine.
This was not the first strike on the Zvezda facility. On 4 July 2024, Ukrainian drones targeted the same location. During that incident, the Russian Telegram channel Astra reported that one intelligence officer was wounded by a drone explosion.
The latest strike follows Ukraine’s attack on the Murom Instrument-Building Plant in Russia’s Vladimir region on 30 April and coincided with reports of a large-scale drone assault on occupied Crimea the same night.
As of now, the Russian Ministry of Defense has not issued an official statement regarding the incident in Stavropol Krai.