The Ukrainian military attacked the Kremniy El microelectronics plant on March 10, with at least five Storm Shadow cruise missiles hitting the facility. Storm Shadow / SCALP-EG missiles are manufactured and supplied to Ukraine by France and the UK.
The Russian ministry said it issued a “firm protest” over the attack and blamed MBDA, the missile manufacturer. The statement said seven people were killed in the strike.
The Kremlin said the attack could not have been carried out without the involvement of British and French specialists and intelligence sharing.
OSINT (open-source intelligence) analysts at Defense Express said the plant was effectively destroyed rather than merely damaged, and that even partial restoration of production would take years.
Kremniy El is one of Russia’s largest suppliers of military
microelectronics and has received billions of rubles in Kremlin investment. The
plant produces components used in Iskander missile systems, radar and electronic
warfare equipment, and UAVs.