Ukraine says it hit Russian rocket centre linked to Starlink-style network

On August 15, Ukraine announced that its long-range strikes had successfully targeted a Russian military airfield and a rocket centre that were part of Russia's nascent Starlink-style satellite internet network. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy stated that Flamingo cruise missiles were responsible for striking the rocket facility, which is located approximately 900 km (560 miles) from Ukraine's border.

Zelenskiy emphasized the importance of reducing Russia's war potential, highlighting the need for peace and tangible damage to specific targets. He made these remarks on the social media platform X. Ukraine's General Staff confirmed the direct hits on both the airfield in Nizhny Novgorod region and the Progress rocket and space centre in Samara region, noting that fires had been ignited at both sites.

The Samara plant is responsible for producing rockets used to launch satellites for the Rassvet broadband network, an alternative to SpaceX's Starlink. While the airfield strike has not been confirmed by authorities in Nizhny Novgorod, local officials in Samara region reported that air defenses had repelled a massive missile attack, resulting in localized damage to the city's industrial infrastructure.

The Progress centre, which has played a crucial role in Soviet and Russian space programs, including the production of the Soyuz family of rockets, has been targeted repeatedly. Russia's defense ministry reported that in the past 24 hours, their drones, missiles, and artillery had struck Ukrainian logistics centers and infrastructure, including workshops for long-range drones and drone boats.