Ukraine carried out long-range strikes on a Russian military airfield and the Progress Centre rocket facility in the southwestern Samara region, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Saturday. He said Ukrainian forces used domestically produced Flamingo cruise missiles against the facility, which supports rocket technology and electronics for Russia’s war machine.
The strikes came as Moscow sought clarification from Washington and Ankara over reports that Turkiye could send Kyiv a “substantial arsenal” of US weapons and ammunition. Russia’s Foreign Ministry said such a transfer would seriously harm its relations with the United States and Turkiye.
What Ukraine says it hit
Zelenskyy said the Progress Centre, a facility for Russia’s space agency Roscosmos, plays a key role in producing rocket technology and electronics and supports Russia’s Starlink-style satellite internet network. The site is about 900km (560 miles) from the Ukrainian border.
Ukrainian forces also targeted Savasleyka air base, about 700km (430 miles) from the border. Zelenskyy described the operations as part of a campaign to reduce Russia’s war potential by damaging specific facilities inside the country.
Related coverage: Ukraine seeks Patriot missiles as Russian attacks intensify.
Damage and casualties reported
Ivan Noskov, the mayor of Samara, said Russian air defences repelled what he called a “massive” Ukrainian attack. He confirmed that some industrial sites in the region were damaged.
In Russia’s Moscow region, a Ukrainian drone struck a house in Shatura, injuring two people, including a nine-year-old child. Governor Andrey Vorobyov said the child’s condition had stabilised.
Russia also reports a strike in Ukraine
Russian attacks on Ukraine on Saturday hit an apartment block in the southeastern town of Marhanets, according to local officials. A three-month-old baby was killed, they said.
More context: 17 killed as Russian missiles and drones strike Kyiv region.
Why Moscow is seeking clarification
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Moscow wants answers from the United States and Turkiye about reports of a potential transfer of US weapons and ammunition held by Turkiye to Kyiv. The reported package is described as a “substantial arsenal,” but the source material does not establish that the transfer has been approved or completed.
Zakharova warned that proceeding with the transfer would cause serious harm to Russia’s relations with both countries.
Also read: Six killed as strikes hit Ukraine and Russia reports 605 drones intercepted.
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