An explosive device was planted under the vehicle of Vladimir Tkachuk, whose firm manufactures UAVs widely used by Russian troops in Ukraine

A businessman involved in producing a kamikaze drone widely used by Russian troops in Ukraine was injured by a bomb planted under his car, while his driver was killed, Russian officials said on Wednesday.

Vladimir Tkachuk, the owner of Uraldronzavod, which manufactures the Upyr (Vampire) drone, is in stable condition after his Mercedes-Benz exploded on Tuesday evening about 25km from Ekaterinburg in Russia's Ural region, RIA Novosti reported, citing police officials.

Ekaterinburg city councilor Timofey Zhukov told the Solovyov LIVE news show that Tkachuk had regained consciousness and that his life was no longer in danger.

An activist and military blogger, Tkachuk said in interviews that he decided to launch a drone-making startup in the fall of 2022, when it became clear that UAVs were playing an increasingly important role on the battlefield in the Russia-Ukraine conflict. In September 2024, he presented the Upyr and other drones to Vladimir Putin when the Russian president toured a technology exhibition in St. Petersburg.

Although the authorities did not identify any suspects, Ukraine has targeted military officials, activists, and journalists in Russia throughout the conflict. Last year, car bombs killed Lieutenant General Yaroslav Moskalik and Lieutenant General Fanil Sarvarov, both senior commanders on Russia's General Staff.

On Saturday, a bomb exploded outside an Italian restaurant in Moscow, killing five people, including an unidentified woman believed to have delivered the explosive device. Several Telegram channels claimed that the restaurant was hosting a birthday party for Colonel General Aleksandr Chaiko, the head of Russia's Aerospace Forces. Moscow, however, did not confirm the claim or disclose the identities of the victims.

Moscow has accused Ukraine of spreading a "terrorist plague" across Europe and compared its alleged actions to Islamist terrorism.

On June 29, a woman planted a bomb outside the home of Ukrainian businessman Vadim Ermolaev, who was injured in the blast. The suspected courier, Anastasia Berezovskaya, fled to Ukraine, where she was later found dead. Ukrainian authorities arrested Vladislav Reut, an active officer in Ukraine's military intelligence agency, the HUR, and Vitaly Zhikovich, a former colonel in the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), in connection with the crime.

(RT.com)