Ukraine says it struck Russian missile electronics plant
Kyiv said it hit defense-linked sites in Voronezh and near Moscow as Russian attacks killed civilians in Ukraine.
By Sofia Marchetti · World Affairs Correspondent
3 min read
Ukraine said its forces struck a missile electronics factory in western Russia and a satellite communications site near Moscow, extending Kyiv’s campaign against facilities tied to Russia’s war effort. Russian officials reported damage and injuries in Voronezh, while Moscow said its air defenses intercepted large numbers of drones.
The Ukrainian General Staff said Monday on Telegram that air-launched cruise missiles hit a plant in Russia’s Voronezh region that makes electronics for missiles. Kyiv described the site as a key part of Russia’s defense production.
Voronezh Governor Alexander Gusev said on Telegram that a production facility was damaged and three people were wounded. He did not identify the plant, but said Russian air defenses had destroyed several fast-moving targets over the city and warned residents about the risk of further missile attacks.
Satellite site and Moscow airspace targeted
Ukraine’s military also said it attacked the Dubna satellite communications center in the Moscow region. The General Staff said heavy smoke was seen at the site and that officials were still assessing the damage.
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said on Telegram that 84 drones headed toward the Russian capital had been shot down over the previous 24 hours. He said emergency crews were sent to locations where drones fell, but did not provide more detail.
Russia’s aviation watchdog separately said flights were temporarily halted at Sheremetyevo, Domodedovo and Vnukovo airports, as well as Zhukovskiy airport near Moscow. Russian news agencies, citing the Ministry of Defence, said Russian systems downed 301 drones overnight in total, including over Russian-occupied areas of Ukraine.
The new attacks followed a drone strike last week on Moscow’s only oil refinery, according to AFP and Reuters. That strike was among the largest aerial attacks on the city since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the agencies reported.
Deaths reported in Ukraine
Ukrainian officials said Russian strikes also killed civilians across several regions. Sumy regional Governor Oleh Hryhorov said a Russian drone attack early Monday killed a 13-year-old boy, his 36-year-old father and a 73-year-old woman, whom he identified as the mother of the man’s roommate.
Ukraine’s emergency services said Russian drone attacks overnight and early Monday in the southeastern city of Zaporizhzhia killed two people and wounded seven others.
In the southern Odesa region, Governor Oleh Kiper said on Telegram that Russia fired an Iskander ballistic missile on Sunday evening, killing one person and injuring three. He said the missile hit an agricultural facility, setting vehicles and fuel storage tanks on fire.
Ukraine’s navy said Russian drones struck the Victress, a Turkish dry cargo vessel sailing under the Panamanian flag. Deputy Prime Minister Oleksii Kuleba said a 58-year-old Egyptian cook was killed and eight other crew members, including Turkish and Indian nationals, evacuated in a lifeboat.
In Russian-annexed Crimea, Sevastopol Governor Mikhail Razvozhayev said the city cancelled all outdoor public events on Monday and would keep streetlights off. He also urged residents to reduce electricity use.
European leaders are due to discuss the war Wednesday in Berlin. A German government spokesman said Chancellor Friedrich Merz planned to host the leaders of France, Britain, Italy and Poland, and that British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s resignation announcement had not changed those plans.
This story draws on original reporting from Al Jazeera.