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THIS is the moment Ukraine staged two overnight kamikaze drone attacks on Russia hitting a gunpowder plant and missile factory.

Footage showed the huge explosions that struck at the heart of Vladimir Putin's war machine as Ukraine ramps up aerial assaults deep behind enemy lines.

The sky was set ablaze following the explosion at the Russian gunpowder factory
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The sky was set ablaze following the explosion at the Russian gunpowder factory
Ukrainian telegram channels said their drones were responsible for the daring attack
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Ukrainian telegram channels said their drones were responsible for the daring attackCredit: Twitter
Smoke rises above the missile factory after it was simultaneously struck by suspected Ukrainian drones
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Smoke rises above the missile factory after it was simultaneously struck by suspected Ukrainian dronesCredit: East2West

Dramatic footage captured the explosion and massive fire at the gunpowder plant in Tambov region at midnight on Friday.

The night sky was lit up in crimson and orange from the detonation at Kotovsk, 300 miles southeast of Moscow.

Locals heard a loud explosion moments before the sky was set ablaze above the facility which supplies ammunition to the Russian army. 

Ukrainian telegram channels claimed one of their kamikaze drones was responsible for the attack.

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“Oh my dear girl who went to work on the night shift, please come back alive," a local wrote on social media.

Another posted: “It was the 5th workshop that exploded.”

One more warned: “Stop sharing such details, we don't know who's reading this group.”

Simultaneously, huge explosions were witnessed at a factory that makes Putin’s deadly Iskander-M missiles that have been used against Ukraine.

The facility at Komolna, some 60 miles southeast of Moscow, is a state-run defence enterprise specialising in missile systems.

Russia claimed it had shot down a drone but the roof of a plant workshop was plainly ablaze.

Ambulances and police were at the scene as Russian media reported damage to the site's roof and windows and the road leading to it.

The plant is owned by state-owned defence conglomerate Rostec, headed by close Putin crony Sergey Chemezov.

It produces man-portable anti-aircraft missile systems, anti-tank missile systems operational-tactical missile systems and active protection complexes.

There were no immediate reports of casualties at the two incidents. 

Ukraine rarely comments on claims of such strikes in Russia. 

But its forces have targeted Russian military, logistics, and infrastructure sites in Russia and in occupied territories.

In July, an Iskander-M was used for a Russian strike on the Ukrainian security service, SBU, headquarters in Dnipro.

Along with brazen attacks on Russian soil, Ukraine has made it their mission to turn Russian-occupied territories into an active war zone that they regularly target with a barrage of missiles and kamikaze drone attacks.

On Friday, startling footage emerged of a Ukrainian drone attack that blitzed Russian barracks and high-speed landing boats in occupied Crimea.

The ships were reportedly carrying loaded armoured vehicles, including personnel carrier BTR-82.

Dramatic black and white footage showed the moment drones hit the Russian navy crafts and a huge explosion engulfs the screen.

Ukraine's homemade "Sea Baby" drones, which can travel 500 miles and carry 600lb of explosive, are responsible for a spate of audacious attacks on Russian vessels in recent months.

In recent months, Ukraine has ramped up production of its unmanned marine assault weapons that have become Putin's newest nightmare.

And Kyiv's newly-designed £355k 20ft Marichka "death drones" were recently taken for a test swim as they are set to be unleashed on Russian targets soon.

It is the latest creation of Ammo.Ukraine, a volunteer organisation that is helping to turn the tides in the so-called "War of the Drones".

It comes as a major explosion sent nineteen carriages of a Russian cargo train crashing off the tracks in a possible sabotage attack early today. 

The unexpected blast ripped up the railway line in Ryazan region, 130 miles southeast of Moscow, in a fresh blow to Vladimir Putin on his home turf.

A mysterious white power was seen in seven of the overturned wagons which was officially claimed to be “mineral fertiliser”.

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It was suspected that the attack was either by Ukrainians operatives in Russia or by Russian partisans sympathetic to Kyiv. 

The rail incident was quickly labelled “sabotage” by the authorities after it appeared that this specific train was targeted.

Footage showed the huge fire at the gunpowder plant burning from miles away
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Footage showed the huge fire at the gunpowder plant burning from miles awayCredit: East2West
Police at the scene of the missile factory that specialises in producing deadly Iskander missiles
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Police at the scene of the missile factory that specialises in producing deadly Iskander missilesCredit: East2West
The Iskander missiles are capable of carrying nuclear warheads
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The Iskander missiles are capable of carrying nuclear warheadsCredit: East2West
The damage an Iskander missile caused to Ukraine's security services HQ in July
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The damage an Iskander missile caused to Ukraine's security services HQ in JulyCredit: East2West
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