A group of long-range drones struck the Russian enterprise PJSC Eneria on the night of May 23rd, targeting a key supplier involved in the production of various weapons and aerospace components. The attack took place in the city of Yelets in the Lipetsk region, approximately 200 kilometres from the Ukrainian border. Eyewitnesses reported that several drones successfully reached the facility, with local footage showing damage to the enterprise’s building and fires in multiple locations, indicating several hits.
PJSC Eneria is one of Russia’s largest manufacturers of batteries, producing sealed lead acid, nickel cadmium, and lithium-ion batteries, as well as military-grade electrochemical power sources. These batteries are vital components used across a wide range of Russian military equipment, from combat drones to intercontinental ballistic missiles.
According to Russian contractor monitoring services, PJSC Eneria held multi-million dollar contracts with more than 20 defence clients, including direct agreements with the Russian Ministry of Defence and major Russian defence companies such as the KBP Instrument Design Bureau, Kalashnikov Concern, NPO SPLAV, and several others. These companies produce well-known weapon systems including the Cornet anti-tank missile, combat drones, multiple launch rocket systems, and electronic warfare systems.
PJSC Eneria is a critical bottleneck in Russia’s military supply chain, as there are only three such specialised battery manufacturers operating in the country. Last year, the company invested 988 million rubles (approximately £11 million) in upgrading its facilities, nearly doubling production by the end of 2024. Besides the defence sector, the enterprise supplies batteries to Roscosmos, Russia’s space agency, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and the Federal Security Service.
Meanwhile, Russia faces severe economic pressures. Following a dramatic fall in oil prices to below $50 per barrel (roughly £40), the Kremlin has imposed sweeping budget cuts across multiple sectors including aviation, automotive, shipping, and robotics. This has forced reductions in several state programmes aimed at replacing Western technology and boosting domestic production.
Russia’s economic downturn, worsened by Western sanctions and inflation, threatens its capacity to sustain the full-scale war against Ukraine. Oil and gas revenues, accounting for nearly 30 per cent of Russia’s budget earlier this year, remain a key funding source for Moscow’s military efforts. However, increased sanctions targeting Russia’s oil tanker fleet and gas exports have further strained the Kremlin’s war chest.
Valerii Zaluzhnyi, Ukraine’s former commander-in-chief and current ambassador to the UK, recently warned that Ukraine can only defeat Russia by destroying its military and economic capacity to wage war. He emphasised that Ukraine’s limited population and economic strength mean it cannot afford prolonged conflict and that victory depends on cutting off Russia’s resources.
