Ukraine’s second strike on a critical military plant in Cheboksary reveals the vulnerability of Russia’s air defenses. Ukrainian drones strike Russia’s two oil pumping stations, 700 kilometers away from the Ukrainian border. Ukraine’s parliament votes to increase defense spending.
Ukraine’s second strike on critical military plant in Cheboksary reveals vulnerability of Russia’s air defenses
Ukrainian Flamingo FP-5 missiles struck the VNIIR Progress plant in Cheboksary, in Russia’s Chuvashiya region on Wednesday morning. The facility produces antennas that enable Russian drones and missiles to bypass Ukrainian air defenses. The Flamingo missiles travelled 1,000 kilometers into Russia to strike the factory, Ukrainian news site Defense Express said Wednesday. The attack was the second to successfully target the plant in a little over a month. It demonstrates Russia’s inability to fully protect all its military sites, Defense Express said.
The exact number of missiles used in the attack is unknown. The episode also reveals Russia’s shortage of air defenses.
Ukraine used six Flamingo missiles in the previous attack on the plant on May 5. One of them hit target and the rest were destroyed by Russia’s layered air defense system.
The choice of Flamingo missiles over long-range strike drones is motivated by the missiles’ larger warhead, which increases the impact of the blast and shock wave.
The VNIIR Progress plant produces key components for Shahed drones, glide bombs, Iskander missiles and other weapons. Most importantly, it manufactures the Kometa antennas that Russia uses to bypass Ukraine’s air defenses, Defense Express said.
Local authorities warned of a missile alert in the Chuvashiya region early on Wednesday. Videos posted by locals to social media captured the missile’s flight over the city.
Ukraine drones strike Russia’s two oil pumping stations 700 kilometers away from Ukraine border
The Alfa Special Operations Center of Ukraine’s Security Service struck the Vtorovo and Lobkovo oil pumping stations in Russia’s Vladimir region, the agency said on Wednesday. Both facilities are around 700 kilometers away from Ukraine’s border.
The oil pumping stations supply fuel to Moscow.
“The stations’ main function is to pump diesel fuel to the Moscow ring oil products pipeline and move oil products to the Baltic Sea ports for exports, particularly, to the oil-loading Primorsk port,” the Security Service said.
Local authorities said fires were raging at two infrastructure installations after Ukrainian drone attacks. NASA FIRMS shows heat anomalies at both oil pumping stations, a sign of fires.
“Strikes against such facilities have strategic meaning as they are important parts of Russia’s fuel supply routes,” Ukraine’s Security Service said.
Ukraine struck a military plant in Cheboksary, in the Chuvashiya region, and the Kyibyshev oil refinery in the Samara region overnight on Wednesday.
Ukraine’s parliament votes to increase defense spending
The Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine’s parliament, passed the bill no.15224 on Wednesday to increase spending on the security and defense sector in 2026 by UAH 1.56 trillion. The bill passed by a vote of 242 to 19.
Additional funds will come from the 45-billion euro part of EU’s Ukraine Support Loan program, of which 31.8 billion euro will be allocated for security and defense needs, Economichna Pravda said.
Additional UAH 1.3 billion of defense spending will be used to buy weapons, military equipment, ammunition and pay for repairs of equipment. Another UAH 174 billion is budgeted for the salaries of the military, and UAH 14.6 billion will be placed in reserve.
Ukraine will also use UAH 40 billion to prepare for winter. The funds will contribute to the protection of its critical infrastructure, preparation of boiler stations, cogeneration and reserve sources of power. Another UAH 40 billion will make part of the budget’s reserve fund.