Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy announced significant military actions against Russian infrastructure, highlighting the use of domestically produced missiles. At a briefing in Kyiv, he emphasized that recent strikes involved not only drones but also Ukraine’s own missile technology. “It’s important to understand that in recent days Ukraine has been using exclusively Ukrainian products (and) not just drones,” he stated, responding to inquiries about the deployment of the new long-range Flamingo missile.
The escalation in Ukraine’s military capabilities comes as their defense industry has reportedly increased production capacity tenfold since the onset of the full-scale invasion. Zelenskiy projected that the production potential for drones and missiles could reach $35 billion by next year, with over 40 percent of the weapons currently utilized on the front lines being domestically manufactured.
Ukrainian military officials disclosed that their long-range drones successfully targeted a major Russian ammunition plant, a critical oil terminal, and a significant weapons depot located behind enemy lines. The strikes included the Sverdlov ammunition plant in the Nizhny Novgorod region of western Russia, which is known for supplying a range of munitions to Russian forces. Reports indicated that the attack caused multiple explosions and subsequent fires at the site.
In addition to the ammunition plant, Ukrainian drones inflicted damage on an oil terminal in Crimea, igniting a fire, and targeted an ammunition depot belonging to Russia’s 18th Combined Arms Army. The Ukrainian General Staff confirmed these operations, asserting that they represent a strategic effort to disrupt Russian military logistics.
Russian authorities acknowledged a significant drone assault impacting 14 Russian regions and the annexed territory of Crimea. They reported that air defenses intercepted 251 Ukrainian drones, marking this operation as one of the largest drone offensives on Russian territory since the beginning of the conflict over three years ago.
Gleb Nikitin, the governor of the Nizhny Novgorod region, stated that air defenses successfully repelled an attack involving 20 drones aimed at the local industrial zone, claiming that no facilities were damaged in the incident.
Zelenskiy also addressed concerns regarding the ongoing support from the United States, confirming that the supply of American-produced weapons to Ukraine remains unaffected by the current government shutdown. This reassurance aligns with Ukraine’s ongoing efforts to bolster its defense capabilities amidst a challenging military landscape.
Overall, these developments underscore Ukraine’s commitment to enhancing its military strength through domestic production while continuing to engage in strategic attacks on Russian infrastructure.
