Russia says it hit Kyiv missile plant, pledges more strikes on Ukrainian capital

Russia’s defense ministry said on Friday that it had hit a missile plant on the outskirts of Kyiv and vowed that more attacks against Kyiv would continue if Ukraine continued to target Russian territory.

The defense ministry said in a statement that “high-precision, long-range sea-based Kalibr missiles” had hit the Vizar machine-building plant, which Moscow said repaired and produced “long- and medium-range anti-aircraft missile systems as well as anti-ship missiles.” The plant is located on the outskirts of the capital.

Russian authorities also claimed that the Ilyich steel plant in Mariupol had been seized from Ukraine.

“The number and scale of missile strikes against assets in Kiev will increase in response to any terrorist attacks or sabotage on Russian territory by Kiev nationalist regime,” the Russian defense ministry said. 

The development comes as Ukrainian officials earlier this week claimed that their missiles had hit the flagship of Russia’s Black Sea fleet, the Moskva, which Russian authorities said later sank on Thursday after being set on fire. 

Russian officials also accused Ukraine of targeting a Russian village near the borders it shares with Ukraine and Belarus, further alleging that seven people had been wounded in the attack and at least six residential buildings damaged. 

Russia’s Investigative Committee announced that a criminal case had been opened following the incident.

The development comes more than 50 days since Russian began its invasion of Ukraine, which has been widely condemned by the international community.