On Saturday, Ukraine announced that it successfully targeted a Russian military airfield and a rocket center, which Kyiv claims supports Russia's satellite internet network akin to Starlink. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that the Flamingo cruise missiles struck the rocket facility located approximately 900 km from Ukraine's border, emphasizing the need to diminish Russia's war potential.
The Ukrainian General Staff reported direct hits at both the airfield in Nizhny Novgorod and the Progress rocket and space center in Samara, leading to fires at both locations.
The Progress center is significant as it produces rockets for Russia's Rassvet broadband network, which is being developed as a competitor to SpaceX's Starlink, a service that has provided Ukraine with critical advantages in military communications. While local officials in Samara confirmed localized damage from the strikes, there was no independent verification of the airfield attack.
This escalation in long-range strikes reflects a broader trend, as both Ukraine and Russia have intensified their attacks on strategic targets, with Russia also claiming to have struck Ukrainian logistics and infrastructure.
The ongoing conflict, which began with Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022, continues to evolve, with both sides seeking to gain the upper hand through targeted military actions