Ukraine strikes a key industrial site deep inside Russia

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukrainian forces struck an concern tract heavy wrong Russia connected Saturday, which Ukraine and unofficial Russian quality channels accidental was a cardinal state-owned rocket factory.

The onslaught successful Russia’s Udmurt Republic near 11 radical wounded, 3 of whom were hospitalized, according to a Telegram station by Sergei Bagin, the section wellness minister.

“One of the republic’s facilities was attacked by drones” launched by Ukraine, determination caput Alexander Brechalov said successful different Telegram post. He added that the onslaught caused injuries and damage, but did not place the tract oregon springiness further details.

Hours later, Ukraine's General Staff said its forces struck a cardinal rocket works adjacent the metropolis of Votkinsk, utilizing Ukrainian-made FP-5 “Flamingo” cruise missiles alternatively than drones.

“A military-industrial analyzable enterprise, the ‘Votkinsk Plant’ ... was hit. A occurrence was recorded connected the facility’s premises. The results are being clarified," the General Staff said successful a Facebook post.

An unofficial Russian quality transmission connected Telegram, Astra, likewise said earlier connected Saturday that the onslaught targeted the Votkinsk Machine Building Plant, a large authorities defence enterprise. Astra said its assertion was based connected an investigation of footage from residents.

The Votkinsk factory, much than 1,400 kilometers (870 miles) from Ukraine, produces Iskander ballistic missiles, often utilized successful strikes against Ukraine, arsenic good arsenic nuclear-capable intercontinental ballistic missiles, missiles for submarines and air-launched Kinzhal missiles.

Another unofficial Russian Telegram channel, SHOT, which often quotes contacts successful the information services, said residents of Votkinsk reported proceeding astatine slightest 3 blasts during the night, arsenic good arsenic what they thought was the humming of drones.

The Udmurt Republic’s main rider airport, successful the metropolis of Izhevsk, and airports successful adjacent regions suspended operations aboriginal connected Saturday, according to Russia’s civilian aviation authority, Rosaviatsiya.

In different overnight attacks, Ukraine's General Staff said its forces had besides targeted a state processing works successful Russia's Samara region. Earlier Saturday, Russian subject blogs reported that an onslaught caused a occurrence astatine the Samara plant. There was nary contiguous remark from Russian officials.

Russia's Defense Ministry connected Saturday said its forces had damaged launching sites for Ukraine's "Flamingo" cruise missiles implicit the erstwhile day, among different subject targets. The ministry's connection did not marque notation to the Votkinsk rocket works oregon immoderate Ukrainian strikes successful the area.

No advancement successful bid talks

The onslaught came days aft the latest U.S.-brokered talks betwixt envoys from Moscow and Kyiv implicit Russia’s all-out penetration of Ukraine ended Wednesday with nary motion of a breakthrough, arsenic the war’s 4th day approaches adjacent week.

The negotiations successful Switzerland were the 3rd circular of nonstop talks organized by Washington, aft meetings earlier this twelvemonth successful Abu Dhabi that officials described arsenic constructive but which besides made nary large headway. Expectations for important advancement successful Geneva were low.

Russia attacked Ukraine with 120 drones and 1 ballistic rocket overnight into Saturday, Ukraine’s aerial unit said. Ukrainian forces changeable down 106 drones, portion the rocket and 13 drones struck targets successful 11 locations successful the country, the connection said.

Oleh Kiper, the caput of Ukraine's Odesa portion connected the Black Sea, said drones damaged civilian and vigor infrastructure facilities successful the region, including a secondary schoolhouse and an vigor company's warehouses. Two radical were besides injured, helium said successful a connection connected Telegram.

The confederate larboard metropolis of Odesa and surrounding portion person been predominant targets for Russian attacks. Earlier this week, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said tens of thousands of Odesa's residents were near without heating and moving water.

In remarks published connected societal media connected Monday evening, Zelenskyy said Moscow should beryllium “held accountable” for the relentless strikes, which helium said undermine the U.S. propulsion for peace.

Russia's FSB says Telegram usage endangers front-line troops

Elsewhere, Russia’s Federal Security Service, known by its acronym FSB, claimed that Ukraine has been capable to harvest information from Telegram and usage it for subject purposes. The app is hugely fashionable among Russians, including soldiers astatine the front.

The FSB was quoted by Russian authorities media arsenic saying it had obtained “numerous reliable reports” that the usage of Telegram “has repeatedly resulted successful threats to the beingness of work members implicit the past 3 months." The reports did not mention immoderate examples oregon evidence.

Separately, Russian President Vladimir Putin connected Friday signed a instrumentality requiring mobile operators successful Russia to artifact cellular and landline net services astatine the petition of the FSB, the latest determination successful the ongoing Kremlin effort to tighten power implicit the internet.

Earlier this month, Russian communications watchdog Roskomnadzor said it volition enforce caller restrictions connected Telegram, aft accusing it of refusing to observe Russian law. The determination triggered wide disapproval from Russian subject bloggers, who warned that Telegram was wide utilized by troops warring successful Ukraine and its throttling would derail subject communications.

Last week, Russia attempted to afloat artifact WhatsApp successful the country, the institution said. Russian authorities person already blocked large societal media similar Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, throttled YouTube, and methodically ramped up restrictions against different fashionable platforms since Russia’s full-scale penetration of Ukraine successful 2022.

___

Follow AP’s sum of the warfare successful Ukraine astatine https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine

Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This worldly whitethorn not beryllium published, broadcast, rewritten oregon redistributed without permission.