Ukraine strikes heart of Russia's missile arsenal with homemade weapon
Newsy
Ukraine struck one of Russia's most strategically significant defense facilities overnight, hitting the Votkinsk Machine Building Plant in a remote area nearly 800 miles from the Ukrainian border.
Ukraine struck one of Russia's most strategically significant defense facilities Saturday night, hitting the Votkinsk Machine Building Plant in a remote region nearly 800 miles from the Ukrainian border — the deepest strike ever launched by Ukraine using a domestically produced weapon.
The weapon: a Flamingo cruise missile, built by a Ukrainian startup in less than nine months, assembled in part from engines salvaged from junked Soviet-era training aircraft.
The target: the factory that manufactures Iskander ballistic missiles — the weapon Russia has used repeatedly to kill Ukrainian civilians throughout the war — as well as Kinzhal hypersonic missiles and components for intercontinental ballistic missiles.
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Ukraine's General Staff confirmed the strike Saturday, saying the attack caused a fire at the Votkinsk plant. Russian regional governor Alexander Brechalov acknowledged the attack, saying it caused "damage and injuries" but provided no further details. Eleven people were reported wounded, three hospitalized.
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