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Volodymyr Zelenskyy Confirms Ukrainian Missile Strike on Russia's Progress Rocket Space Center

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed that Ukrainian forces successfully struck the Progress Rocket Space Center in Russia's Samara region. The strike, conducted using FP-5 "Flamingo" cruise missiles, targeted a primary production facility for the Soyuz-2 and Soyuz-5 rockets. These vehicles are the workhorses of Russian spaceflight, accounting for over 85 percent of Russian rocket launches since 2020. The Progress Rocket Space Center is the only production facility for the Soyuz-2 rockets, and damage to the site could significantly hinder Russia's space program. The facility also produces military satellites and the Rassvet satellite constellation, which serves as Russia's alternative to SpaceX's Starlink. Because there is no backup facility for Soyuz-2 production, experts suggest it may take months to restore full production capacity. This deep strike highlights Ukraine's strategy to pressure Moscow by targeting strategic infrastructure located deep within Russian territory. The attack also disrupted Russia's efforts to develop its own broadband communication network, which is critical for drone operations and battlefield communications.

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