Ukraine’s military confirmed on Tuesday it struck a Russian chemical plant using the potent UK-made Storm Shadow long-range missiles, with the General Staff calling the attack “a successful hit,” confirming that it effectively penetrated Russian air defense systems. Furthermore, they immediately began assessing the full outcome of the massive strategic strike.
Just hours afterward, Russia launched a heavy drone and missile attack targeting several Ukrainian regions across the nation. Officials subsequently confirmed two deaths in the capital, while strikes tragically killed a woman and two children in the wider Kyiv region.
Meanwhile, emergency power outages immediately hit Kyiv city, the wider Kyiv region, and the Dnipropetrovsk region, with initial reports specifying that Russian forces deliberately targeted critical thermal power plants in these key areas, leaving six people dead, including two children, according to President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Targeting the War Machine
Ukraine’s military previously asserted that targeting Russian facilities playing a key role in the war remains absolutely imperative, stating on X: “The Bryansk Chemical Plant is a key facility of the aggressor state’s military-industrial complex.” They added the facility “produces gunpowder, explosives and rocket fuel components used in ammunition and missiles employed by the enemy to shell the territory of Ukraine.”
However, Russian authorities have not yet officially commented on the Bryansk chemical plant strike, despite previous warnings to the West. The Kremlin strictly warned Western nations against supplying Ukraine with any further long-range missile systems.
Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko reported on Wednesday that debris from Russia’s overnight strikes had severely damaged several municipal buildings across the capital. The city’s military administration head, Timur Tkachenko, subsequently confirmed that two civilians died during the attack on the capital. Reuters news agency reported that numerous witnesses heard loud explosions resembling air defense units successfully operating overnight.
Western Support Vowed
The missile attack coincided with a major vow from European leaders, including UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, who promised to “ramp up the pressure on Russia’s economy and its defence industry” until Vladimir Putin “is ready to make peace.” Moreover, a joint statement co-signed by nine major European leaders added a firm promise regarding future negotiations. The declaration stressed that “Ukraine must be in the strongest position – before, during, and after any ceasefire.”
Finally, these latest exchanges follow a White House meeting last week between Donald Trump and President Volodymyr Zelensky, where the US leader indicated he was not yet ready to supply Kyiv with its sought-after Tomahawk cruise missiles.
