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Ukraine Hits Russia’s Bastion Launch Sites in Crimea Used to Fire Oniks and Zircon Missiles
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![Photo of Ivan Khomenko]( "Photo of Ivan Khomenko")
Ukrainian forces struck Russian Bastion coastal missile positions in temporarily occupied Crimea overnight on August 16, targeting launch sites and a deployment area for a system Russia uses to fire Oniks and Zircon missiles against Ukraine.
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Ukraine’s Navy said on August 16 that the strike caused significant losses in Russian weapons and personnel, adding that the full extent of the damage was still being assessed. The Navy described the Bastion as a scarce and costly missile system used by Russian forces to strike southern and other regions of Ukraine with supersonic Oniks and hypersonic Zircon missiles.
The K-300P Bastion is a road-mobile coastal defense system originally developed to engage surface ships. A standard launcher carries two P-800 Oniks missiles, allowing the battery to relocate between firing positions and launch from prepared or temporary sites.
The Oniks travels at more than twice the speed of sound and can carry a warhead weighing up to around 300 kilograms.
Russia has also adapted the Bastion infrastructure for strikes involving the 3M22 Zircon, according to the Ukrainian Navy. Zircon was originally developed as a ship- and submarine-launched hypersonic anti-ship missile.
Russian specifications claim speeds of up to Mach 9 and a range of around 1,000 kilometers, although its actual battlefield performance has been subject to scrutiny following its use against Ukraine.
The strike came hours after Russia again used Oniks missiles against Ukraine. During the overnight attack on August 16, Russian forces targeted Kyiv, Kremenchuk and Kryvyi Rih with Oniks missiles, Iskander-M/S-400/KN-23 ballistic missiles, Kh-59/69 guided missiles and 106 drones, according to Ukraine’s Air Force.
Ukrainian defenses downed or suppressed three Kh-59/69 missiles and 85 drones, while impacts were recorded at 13 locations. The Air Force did not specify the number or launch location of the Oniks missiles, so they cannot be directly linked to the Bastion positions struck in Crimea.
Russia has repeatedly used Oniks and Zircon missiles during large-scale attacks on Ukrainian cities. On August 5, Russian forces launched four Zircon or Oniks missiles alongside 24 Iskander-M/S-400 ballistic missiles and 115 drones, with Kyiv and the surrounding region as the main target.
The attack killed 17 people and injured 44, while damaging civilian businesses, logistics facilities and railway infrastructure.
Ukraine has previously targeted Russia’s Bastion capability in temporarily occupied Crimea. On March 24, the General Staff reported that Ukrainian forces struck a Bastion launcher along with other Russian military targets.
The strikes come as Russia continues expanding production of both missile types. Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence (HUR) said on August 10 that Russia produced 33 Zircon and 60 Oniks missiles during the first seven months of 2026, already meeting its annual production targets for both weapons.
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