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Ukraine Just Hit Russia’s Missile Test Site, Drone Factory and Arsenal in Major Deep Strike Campaign
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![Photo of Vlad Litnarovych]( "Photo of Vlad Litnarovych")
Ukraine’s defense forces carried out a series of long-range strikes in January and February 2026 targeting key elements of Russia’s military-industrial complex, missile testing infrastructure, and ammunition storage network, according to Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense on March 9.
The operations reportedly struck three major defense industry facilities, one strategic missile testing range, and two large arsenals inside Russia.
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One of the first strikes occurred during the night of January 13, when Ukrainian forces launched domestically produced missiles against the Atlant Aero facility in Taganrog, Rostov region. Explosions and a fire were reported near the plant’s production buildings.
The facility is involved in the design, manufacturing, and testing of Molniya strike and reconnaissance drones, as well as components used in Orion unmanned aerial systems.
Another significant strike took place on February 5, when Ukrainian forces targeted the Kapustin Yar State Central Interservice Missile Test Range in Russia’s Astrakhan region.
Kapustin Yar is considered one of Russia’s primary missile testing centers and has been used for trials of advanced weapons systems, including the Oreshnik missile.
According to Ukrainian officials, the strike damaged a technical facility used for servicing intermediate-range ballistic missiles, as well as a missile assembly building and a logistics storage depot.
A separate operation on February 9 targeted a drone storage facility near Rostov-on-Don. Ukrainian officials said the strike destroyed three containers filled with FPV drones and associated equipment, eliminating roughly 6,000 drones. Several additional containers with unmanned systems were reportedly damaged.
Another major attack occurred overnight on February 12, when Ukrainian long-range strike systems hit a large ammunition storage site near the settlement of Kotluban in Russia’s Volgograd region.
The facility is operated by the Main Missile and Artillery Directorate of Russia’s defense ministry and serves as one of the Russian army’s largest storage complexes for missiles, ammunition and explosives.
According to the Ukrainian defense ministry, the strike was carried out using FP-5 “Flamingo” long-range strike systems, triggering powerful explosions followed by secondary detonations across the site.
Ukrainian strikes also targeted Russia’s defense manufacturing sector.
In Michurinsk, Tambov region, Ukrainian forces hit the Michurinsk Progress Plant, which produces high-tech equipment used in aviation and missile systems. A fire reportedly broke out on the plant’s grounds after the attack.
Another major strike took place overnight on February 21, when Ukrainian missile and artillery units launched FP-5 “Flamingo” cruise missiles at the Votkinsk Plant in the Udmurt Republic.
The strike reportedly destroyed Production Workshop No. 22 at the facility.
The Votkinsk Plant is one of Russia’s most important missile manufacturing facilities. It produces RS-24 Yars intercontinental ballistic missiles, variants of the Yars family, R-30 Bulava submarine-launched ballistic missiles used on Project 955A Borei-A nuclear submarines, as well as 9M723-1 ballistic missiles for the Iskander-M system and 9-S-7760 missiles used by the Kinzhal air-launched missile system.
According to Ukraine’s defense ministry, the series of strikes was part of a broader effort to disrupt Russia’s military production capacity and logistics network supporting the war.
Earlier, on the afternoon of February 27, Russian authorities declared a “missile danger” alert simultaneously across at least 13 regions, marking the first such widespread declaration since the start of the full-scale war.
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