Ukraine attacked a weapons factory in the Russian city of Volgograd during the night and early on Saturday morning, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a Telegram post.
Ukrainian Flamingo cruise missiles struck the Titan-Barrikady facilities and set them on fire, Zelensky said.
The factory produces artillery systems and components for missile launchers, he said.
Andrei Bocharov, Volgograd regional governor, confirmed damage to the “production facilities of a company,” but did not provide further details on what is manufactured there.
He said at least 10 people were injured. He referred to attacking “high-speed flying objects,” seen as referring to cruise missiles. Several fires broke out locally and were extinguished, Bocharov added. Residential buildings were reportedly not affected.
Factory said to be involved in Oreshnik production
Titan-Barrikady makes parts for the Iskander, Yars, and Topol-M missile systems, which are also capable of carrying nuclear weapons, media reports said.
The plant is reportedly involved in the production of Russia’s new medium-range missile, the Oreshnik.
This medium-range ballistic missile, a potentially devastating weapon able to carry multiple warheads, has been deployed by Moscow against Ukraine several times in the past.
With an estimated range of up to 6,000 kilometres, the nuclear-capable Oreshnik, travelling at several times the speed of sound, can easily reach targets in Western Europe within minutes.
Ukraine, which has been fighting a Russian invasion for more than four years with Western support, still has no means of defending against the missile.
Kiev has recently shifted its focus to attacks on targets of strategic importance to Russia, deep inside Russian territory, mostly using drones, but also deploying its Flamingo cruise missiles.
Alongside military facilities and arms factories, Ukraine is also targeting oil industry facilities. Kiev seeks to disrupt fuel supplies to Russian troops involved in attacks, and curtail the Kremlin’s ability to finance the war.