Ukraine has confirmed a successful strike on Russia’s Bryansk Chemical Plant using UK-supplied Storm Shadow long-range missiles, marking one of the most significant attacks on Moscow’s military infrastructure since the war began in 2022.
According to Ukraine’s general staff, the “massive” missile strike successfully penetrated Russia’s air defense system and hit the chemical facility, which plays a vital role in Moscow’s war efforts. The plant reportedly produces gunpowder, explosives, and rocket fuel components used in ammunition and missiles deployed against Ukraine.
“The Bryansk Chemical Plant is a key facility of the aggressor state’s military-industrial complex,” Ukraine’s military said on X (formerly Twitter). “It was imperative to target it to weaken Russia’s capacity to wage war.”
While Russian authorities have yet to comment on the attack, the strike comes amid renewed Western commitment to increasing pressure on the Kremlin. A joint statement by UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and European leaders vowed to “ramp up the pressure on Russia’s economy and its defense industry” until President Vladimir Putin agrees to peace negotiations.
In retaliation, Russia launched a heavy drone and missile assault on several Ukrainian regions, killing six people, including two children. Kyiv and the surrounding areas were subjected to emergency power outages as thermal power plants were targeted. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko confirmed that debris from Russian missiles damaged several buildings across the capital.
The escalation follows a recent meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House, where Trump declined Kyiv’s request for Tomahawk cruise missiles. Talks between Trump and Putin, initially planned in Budapest, were postponed amid disagreements over a potential ceasefire.
Russia’s invasion, now in its third year, has left it controlling about 20% of Ukrainian territory, including Crimea, annexed in 2014.
