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Ukraine Hit Russian Factory Behind Yars and Bulava Nuclear Missiles. Here’s What Satellite Images Reveal
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![Photo of Ivan Khomenko]( "Photo of Ivan Khomenko")
Satellite imagery has confirmed a successful strike by Ukrainian FP-5 Flamingo cruise missiles on the Votkinsk Plant, a critical Russian defense enterprise responsible for producing ballistic missiles.
According to Militarnyi, analysis of images dated February 21 reveals at least one direct hit on the facility, despite partial cloud cover and low resolution.
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The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine later confirmed that units of the Rocket Forces and Artillery carried out the strategic operation, utilizing the long-range Flamingo missiles to target the heart of Russia’s military-industrial complex.
The Votkinsk Plant is a cornerstone of Russia’s missile production, manufacturing solid-fuel ballistic missiles including the RS-24 Yars, the submarine-launched RSM-56 Bulava, and the 9M723-1 missiles for the Iskander-M system.
Notably, the plant is also involved in the production of the Oreshnik medium-range ballistic missiles. Local sources reported massive fires at the site on the night of February 20, with local officials in the Udmurtia Republic confirming damage and casualties at the facility, specifically noting hits on workshops No. 22 and No. 36.
This strike may have set a new combat record for cruise missile range, potentially surpassing the performance of Russia’s Kalibr missiles. Defense Express reports that the straight-line distance from the Ukrainian border to Votkinsk exceeds 1,300 km.
However, accounting for launch positions deep within Ukrainian territory and complex flight paths designed to evade air defenses, the FP-5 Flamingo likely traveled between 1,600 and 1,650 km.
“This operation demonstrates that Ukraine has not only achieved parity in long-range precision strikes but may have exceeded the publicly acknowledged combat ranges of Russia’s 3M14 Kalibr, which previously recorded a 1,500 km flight during strikes on Syria in 2015,” analysts noted.
Earlier, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine confirmed that the FP-5 Flamingo had successfully targeted the Kapustin Yar test range in the Astrakhan region. The strike hit a complex of buildings used for the pre-launch preparation of intercontinental and medium-range ballistic missiles, marking the first official acknowledgment of the Flamingo’s operational use.
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