Russia is scaling up its aircraft factory in Kazan: it will produce bombers

The Kazan plant plays a key role in the production of Russia's strategic aircraft. It was these aircraft that were damaged and destroyed as a result of Ukraine's special operation "Web" in June.

Russia is currently expanding the plant due to the need to increase its own production of military and civil aircraft. About a billion euros have been allocated for the modernization of the plant. However, due to sanctions and a shortage of labor, production is facing serious difficulties and is lagging behind the planned deadlines, the publication writes.

According to satellite images obtained by Yle, the largest of the new buildings is about 320 meters long and has an area of about 19,000 m², which is comparable to three football fields.

As noted, the territory of the Kazan plant will still change, as the expansion is not expected to be completed until the end of next year.

Satellite images show that a lot of new production space has appeared. However, this will not solve the problems of the aviation industry and the industry as a whole, says military expert Marko Eklund, who worked for a long time in Finnish military intelligence and has been monitoring the Russian armed forces for more than 20 years.

It is emphasized that Russia no longer receives Western passenger aircraft and cannot maintain old ones, and is also unable to create competitive models for either the civilian or military sectors.

Russia would like to appear equal to the United States, but the production of old bomber models says a lot about its capabilities, Eklund states.

The Kazan plant produces and modernizes the Tu-160M and builds new Tu-160M2s, but the pace is slow: last year only two Tu-160M2s and two Tu-160Ms were delivered. The old Tu-22M3s are also being modernized. Both types are used to launch cruise missiles in the war in Ukraine and are based at the Borisoglebsk airfield.

The plant has a contract to produce a total of 23 Tu-214 aircraft. The customers are Russian airlines, which can no longer obtain new aircraft from the West.

"There was no need for sanctions in mass production. Now the same sanctions are limiting the growth of domestic production," says Eklund.

According to a Yle investigation, Russia has purchased at least a billion euros worth of Western aircraft components in recent years, circumventing international sanctions. However, the restrictions have made it more difficult to procure parts.