Russia Attacks Kyiv Missile Factory as Retaliation for Attack On Moskva Cruiser They Deny Even Happened

The Russian forces have reportedly attacked a Kyiv missile factory that focused on making and repairing Ukrainian missiles, which include the Neptune anti-ship missile, in an apparent retaliation for sinking the Moskva. An attack which Russia officially claims did not occur.

This comes after the Russian Defense Ministry had stated on Friday that they would be bombing Ukraine more, specifically Kyiv, in response to multiple Ukrainian attacks on Russia. One of Ukraine’s attacks was that of the 2 Mi-24 attack helicopters destroying an oil depot in Belgorod about a week ago, and the most recent being the sinking of the Moskva.

Russia’s flagship of the Black Sea Fleet, the Moskva, was allegedly sunk by Neptune missiles a few days ago, which had been hailed as one of Ukraine’s most prolific military successes to date. However, it is important to note that the Kremlin had stated that the Moskva sunk due to a fire breaking out on board, which led to ammunition on board exploding. We know know the Moskva has sunk with as many much as 80% of the crew dead along with her captain.

Powerful explosions were reportedly heard in Kyiv. This was apparently an attack on the “Vizar” factory, a Kyiv missile factory that made and repaired missiles. The factory is situated near Kyiv’s international Zhuliany airport.

This is the first time they attacked the capital city since they pulled out from the region a few weeks ago, stating that the Russian forces were to focus their operations in Donbas. The attack reportedly used sea-based Kalibr missiles.

“Tonight, high-precision, long-range, sea-based Kalibr missiles attacked a military facility on the outskirts of Kyiv,” Russian Defense Spokesperson Igor Konashenkov said.

“As a result of the attack on the Zhulyansky Vizar machine-building plant, workshops for the production and repair of long-range and medium-range anti-aircraft missile systems, as well as anti-ship missiles, were destroyed.”

“The number and scale of missile strikes on targets in Kyiv will increase in response to any terrorist attacks or acts of sabotage on Russian territory committed by the Kyiv nationalist regime,” the Russian Defense Ministry stated.

Along with this claim from the Russians, they also allegedly shot down a series of Ukrainian aircraft using their S-400 missile systems. These include a Ukrainian Sukhoi-27 jet and a Mi-8 helicopter. They also allegedly took out a group of some 30 Polish mercenaries. We cannot independently verify these claims by the Russians as of writing.

The Mi-8 helicopter was reportedly the helicopter used to bomb a Russian village in the Bryansk region which injured eight people. This attack could not be independently confirmed. That being said, Ukraine denied responsibility for the attack, stating that it was staging a false-flag attack to stir “anti-Ukrainian hysteria” in their country.

According to a report by Reuters, a man by the name of Kirill Kyrylo was a witness to the attack. Kyrylo, a worker at a car repair shop, said to Reuters that he saw three blasts hit an industrial building across the street.

“The building was on fire, and I had to hide behind my car,” Kryrylo said while pointing toward pieces of metal and glass that were blown over due to the blast. The fire was reportedly put out a few hours later.

Another witness, Andrei Sizov, a 47-year-old man who owns a wood workshop near the factory, reported that the missile strikes came during the night. According to him, there were five hits on the factory.

“Around 1:30 am, my security guard called me because there was an airstrike,” he told reporters from AFP. “There were five hits. My employee was in the office and got thrown off his feet by the blast.”

Sizov also believes that the Russians targeted the factory as the Ukrainians sunk their ship, the Moskva, a day ago.

“They are making us pay for destroying the Moskva,” he added.

Russia has also announced that they have captured the Ilyich steelworks in the besieged city of Mariupol, where Ukrainian resistance still exists amidst Russian claims of a 1000-man surrender from the 36th Marine Brigade. However, Ukraine disputed this and said it had not heard of such surrender. Thus far, SOFREP has only seen videos of some 30 or so paratroopers who surrendered.  Ukrainian sources claim that the actual number was less than 150 and the remainder were able to break out of the encirclement and link up with another Ukrainian unit.

According to the Ukrainian Adviser to the Head of the Office of the President Alexei Arestovich, the 36th Marine Brigade was able to group with the Azov regiment to repel Russian attacks. However, it was said that members of the 36th Marine Brigade were either killed or captured during their operation to link up. These units were reportedly willing to fight until the last man as the city of Mariupol is now extensively surrounded by Russians.

With low ammo and nowhere to go, the city is predicted to fall completely to Russian control within a few days unless the Ukrainian military can relieve and resupply the troops in the area.