Ukrainian forces strike Russian missile preparation site in Astrakhan Oblast

According to the General Staff, the strikes targeted a complex of hangar buildings used for missile preparation and were carried out using long-range strike systems produced in Ukraine, including the FP-5 Flamingo.

Ukrainian military officials said preliminary assessments indicate that several buildings at the test range sustained varying degrees of damage. One hangar was significantly damaged, and part of the personnel stationed at the site was evacuated.

On Jan. 9, Russia launched a ballistic missile attack on Ukraine’s Lviv Oblast from the Kapustin Yar range. Ukraine’s Air Force said the missile was traveling at a speed of about 13,000 kilometers per hour.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy later confirmed that Russia used an Oreshnik intermediate-range ballistic missile in the overnight attack.

On Dec. 19, Zelenskyy said Ukraine was aware of where Russia had deployed the Oreshnik missile system in Belarus and that Kyiv had shared the information with its international partners.

“The deployment of Oreshnik on Belarusian territory is nearing completion. We understand where it will be stationed and are sharing this information with our partners, who can assess the threat and decide how to respond,” Zelenskyy said.

Russia first launched an intercontinental ballistic missile at Ukraine from Astrakhan Oblast on Nov. 21, 2024. The missile flew toward the city of Dnipro.

Oleh Luhovskyi, first deputy head of Ukraine’s Foreign Intelligence Service, has said Russia currently possesses no more than three or four Oreshnik missiles but plans to begin serial production in 2026, with an output of five or more missiles per year.