Lead
Vladimir Tkachuk, the head of a Russian drone factory supplying the military, was badly wounded when the car he was in exploded outside Yekaterinburg, according to Russian state news agencies. Reports on the incident, which occurred late Tuesday in the settlement of Bolshoy Istok, differ on the identity of the person killed in the blast.
The Guardian, citing Russian state media and emergency services, reported that Tkachuk was critically injured and that his bodyguard died in the explosion. The South China Morning Post, citing the state Tass and RIA Novosti agencies, said his driver was killed. The discrepancy could not be reconciled from available reports.
The agencies said Tkachuk was hospitalised in grave condition, with The Guardian reporting doctors were fighting to save his life. A message posted Wednesday on Tkachuk's Telegram channel said he was in stable condition in emergency care after an attempt on his life.
Coverage comparison
Coverage of the attack differs in several particulars. The Guardian frames the explosion as the latest in a series of assassination attempts targeting figures linked to Russia's war in Ukraine, noting an explosion days earlier outside a Moscow restaurant that killed five people. The South China Morning Post's report is more restrained, offering no attribution for the blast and describing Tkachuk simply as the director of a factory supplying drones to the Russian military.
The two outlets also give different follower counts for Tkachuk's Telegram channel, Obsessed with War: The Guardian cites more than 500,000 followers, while the South China Morning Post puts the figure at over 650,000.
Key claims
- Tkachuk is the founder of Uraldronzavod, a private drone manufacturer based in Yekaterinburg, Russia's fourth-largest city and a major industrial hub, according to both outlets.
- The company produces the Upyr (Russian for Ghoul), a low-cost first-person-view drone built with 3D-printing technology and widely used by Russian forces in Ukraine, as reported by The Guardian and the South China Morning Post.
- In 2024, Tkachuk was pictured presenting his designs to President Vladimir Putin at a military drone display in St Petersburg, both outlets reported.
- Tkachuk is the founder of the pro-war Telegram channel Obsessed with War, which has been used to raise funds and procure equipment for Russian soldiers, The Guardian reported. The South China Morning Post described Tkachuk as an ardent supporter of Russia's military action in Ukraine.
- Western governments have imposed sanctions on Uraldronzavod and Tkachuk for their role in supporting Russia's war effort, according to The Guardian.
- The Guardian reported that Russia is likely to blame Ukraine for the bombing, which comes amid a series of attacks on figures linked to the war effort.