The Ukrainians took revenge for the attack on the city of Kharkiv: They hit the factory that produces electronic components for the Izdelie-30 missile
The Defense Forces of Ukraine launched an attack on the Kremniy El microelectronics plant in Briansk, Russia, a facility that produces components for Russian missile systems, Euromaidan Press reports. The operation came just days after a Russian missile hit a block of flats in Kharkiv, killing 11 civilians, including two children.
According to Ukraine's General Staff, the targeted factory produces control systems and microchips used for a wide range of Russian weapons, including cruise missiles, strategic missile complexes and air defense systems. Ukrainian officials say some of the components produced at the Briansk plant were used in the guidance system of the missile that hit an apartment block in Kharkiv.
The attack on Kharkiv, which came three days before the attack on Bryansk, killed a 13-year-old girl and a 9-year-old boy, among other casualties. Ukrainian sources claim that the missile used contained chips manufactured at Kremniy El for the BUBS-30 control block used in the new Izdelie-30 cruise missile.
The governor of the Bryansk region, Aleksandr Bogomaz, said the Ukrainian attack killed at least six civilians and wounded 37 others, condemning it as a “terrorist” attack, without specifying the target. The city of Briansk, with about 400,000 inhabitants, is about 100 kilometers from the border with Ukraine.
The Ukrainian General Staff released an aerial video of the attack, showing multiple explosions across the cityscape, followed by large plumes of smoke. Ukrainian officials said the target had been hit and that there had been significant damage to production facilities.
A key hub of the Russian arms industry
The Kremniy El plant is considered an important component of Russia's military-industrial complex. It produces semiconductors and integrated circuits used in numerous strategic systems, including the Topol-M and Bulava missile complexes, the S-300 and S-400 air defense systems, and the avionics of the MiG and Sukhoi fighter models.
Ukrainian military sources reported that the attack was carried out with Storm Shadow air-to-ground cruise missiles. The Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Oleksandr Sîrski, informed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy about the success of the operation.
“The Briansk plant was hit. This plant produced control systems for all types of missiles of the Russian Federation,” Zelensky said, according to Ukrainian media.
Possible disruption of missile production
Defense analysts estimate that the attack could have major consequences for Russia's ability to produce weapons. Semiconductor manufacturing depends on highly specialized and sensitive equipment that is difficult to replace quickly, especially in the context of international sanctions.
Defense Express reports that while the exact extent of the damage has yet to be confirmed, it is likely that the plant's production process has been seriously disrupted. The factory is described as a crucial supplier of microelectronics that act as the “brain” and “nervous system” of modern weapons, including Iskander missiles.
Support from the Ates resistance movement
The Ates resistance movement, active in Russian-controlled territories, said its operatives contributed to the operation by conducting reconnaissance missions over the Briansk factory. Members of the network allegedly collected information and passed it on to Ukrainian defense forces before the attack.
