THE director of a factory supplying drones to the Russian military was badly wounded when his car exploded, news reports said today. Vladimir Tkachuk was hospitalised in a grave condition following Tuesday night’s explosion in Bolshoy Istok, just outside Yekaterinburg. Russian authorities have blamed Kiev for a series of bombings and other attacks on senior military officials since Moscow invaded Ukraine in February 2022. Meanwhile, overnight Russian attacks on Kiev and the surrounding region killed 17 people and wounded dozens, President Volodymyr Zelensky said today. The barrage lasted about two hours and included 24 ballistic missiles, four cruise missiles and 115 drones.