Ukrainian forces have launched a significant missile attack deep inside Russian territory, striking a major military plant that supplies components for drones and missiles, President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed.
In a Telegram post on Wednesday, Zelensky said that overnight, Ukrainian FP-5 Flamingo cruise missiles hit a facility in Cheboksary, a city in the Chuvash Republic located more than 900 kilometers (560 miles) from the front line. The VNIIR-Progress plant was targeted, and footage released by Zelensky showed a missile streaking toward its target and plumes of smoke rising from the facility.
Local officials reported that three people were injured in the attack. Chuvash Republic head Oleg Nikolaev confirmed the strikes but did not specify whether the military plant was damaged.
The FP-5 Flamingo missile carries a 1,150-kilogram (2,535-pound) warhead and has an estimated range of 3,000 kilometers, putting Moscow and other major Russian cities within reach. Ukraine, together with its Western allies, has been actively developing such missiles to increase the costs of Russia's invasion and push Moscow toward negotiations.
In addition to the Cheboksary strike, Ukraine reported hitting the Moscow-occupied port of Mariupol on the Sea of Azov, an oil refinery in Samara, and a "shadow fleet" oil tanker in the Black Sea. These attacks come as Ukraine intensifies its drone and missile strikes on key Russian infrastructure.
Russia's defense ministry claimed its air defense systems intercepted or downed 326 Ukrainian drones across multiple regions overnight. Meanwhile, Ukraine's air force said it shot down 181 of 207 Russian drones and acknowledged 21 direct hits in 14 locations.
At least two people were killed and 26 injured, including two children, in four Ukrainian regions over the past 24 hours, according to local officials.
Despite Ukraine's efforts, Russian President Vladimir Putin has rejected all proposals for negotiations, insisting that Russian troops are advancing along the front line—though evidence suggests the front has remained largely static in recent months.