Summary
Ukraine's General Staff reported that its forces struck a Russian plant manufacturing ballistic missiles in Votkinsk, located in the Udmurtia region east of Moscow and about 1,400 km (800 miles) from Ukraine. The statement said domestically produced ground-launched Flamingo cruise missiles were used in the operation and that the attack sparked a fire at the site.
What Kyiv reported
The Ukrainian military statement, posted on the Telegram messaging app, identified the targeted facility as a producer of several Russian missile types, including the short-range Iskander and the intercontinental Topol-M. Kyiv said the strike caused a fire on the premises. The Ukrainian forces additionally reported an attack on a gas processing plant in the Samara region of Russia.
Local Russian accounts and immediate effects
Alexander Brechalov, governor of Udmurtia, said a site in the region was attacked overnight using drones. In a video posted to Telegram he reported that the incident caused damage and injuries but provided no further details. Civil aviation authority Rosaviatsiya said the airport in Izhevsk, the main city of Udmurtia, and airports in cities in nearby regions suspended operations following the incident.
An unofficial Russian Telegram channel, SHOT, which frequently cites security service contacts, reported that residents of Votkinsk described hearing at least three explosions and the humming sound of drones.
Context provided by the Ukrainian account
Ukraine’s statement emphasized the strategic rationale for such strikes, saying that hitting weapons manufacturers and the energy infrastructure that supports Moscow’s military efforts is the most effective way to seek leverage against Russia as the conflict approaches its fifth year. The article notes that Russian use of ballistic missiles has been combined with drone attacks targeting Ukrainian energy infrastructure, actions that have cut electricity and heating supplies for millions in Ukraine during the cold months.
Confirmation and uncertainty
Russian officials in the Samara region issued no report confirming the Ukrainian claim of an attack on a gas processing plant there. Similarly, while local Russian sources described explosions and drone activity in Votkinsk, detailed official information about the scale of damage, the number and severity of injuries, and operational impact at the targeted facility was not released in the statements cited.
Implications for infrastructure and operations
The reported attack resulted in immediate disruption to civil aviation in the affected region through airport suspensions, and the Ukrainian account links strikes of this type to broader efforts to disrupt weapons production and energy systems that have implications for both military operations and civilian services.