Ukraine strikes deep inside Russia, targeting rocket site tied to Starlink rival
Ukraine says it has carried out long-range strikes against a Russian military airfield and a major rocket and space facility that Kyiv says is involved in developing Russia’s answer to SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet network.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Flamingo cruise missiles struck the Progress rocket and space centre in Russia’s Samara region, around 900 km (560 miles) from Ukraine’s border, Reuters reported.
The reported strike is part of Kyiv’s expanding campaign to hit military and strategic targets deep inside Russia, as Ukraine seeks to weaken Moscow’s ability to wage the war.
“It is important that Russia’s war potential be reduced,” Zelenskyy said, arguing that damage to specific facilities should demonstrate the cost of continuing the conflict.
Ukraine’s General Staff said direct hits were recorded at both the Progress centre in Samara and an airfield in Russia’s Nizhny Novgorod region. It said fires broke out at both locations.
Kyiv said the Progress facility produces rockets used to launch satellites for Russia’s Rassvet broadband network, which Moscow is developing as an alternative to Starlink.
Starlink has played an important role in Ukraine, providing satellite communications that have supported battlefield communications and drone operations. The service is not available in Russia.
The Progress centre has a long history in Russia’s space programme and has been involved in producing the Soyuz family of rockets.
Russian authorities did not confirm the reported airfield strike. Officials in the Samara region, however, acknowledged what they described as a “massive missile attack.”
Samara Mayor Ivan Noskov said the region’s industrial infrastructure had suffered localized damage, without identifying the facility that was hit. Emergency services were working at the site.
The regional governor had earlier said a missile struck an unidentified industrial facility and reported that emergency crews were still dealing with the aftermath several hours later.
Russia has not publicly confirmed Ukraine’s claims about the Progress centre.
The reported strikes come as both sides continue to expand their use of long-range weapons against targets far from the front line. Ukraine has increasingly targeted Russian military and industrial facilities, while Moscow has continued strikes against Ukrainian logistics and energy infrastructure.
Russia’s Defense Ministry said its forces had attacked Ukrainian logistics centres, fuel and energy infrastructure, transport facilities and sites involved in producing long-range drones and drone boats.
It also said a facility storing long-range drones in Ukraine’s Chernihiv region had been hit.
Reuters could not independently verify the claims from either side.
The latest attacks underscore the growing importance of long-range strike capabilities in the war, particularly as Russia and Ukraine seek to damage the military infrastructure and technologies that could shape the next phase of the conflict.