A missile strike by Ukraine targets Russia's Bryansk Chemical Plant. Image credit: Anadolu Ajansi
(The Post News) – In a dramatic intensification of its deep-strike campaign, Ukrainian forces launched a devastating combined missile and air attack on October 21, which targeted the Bryansk Chemical Plant far inside Russian territory. The attack utilized British-provided Storm Shadow cruise missiles and was Kyiv’s most ambitious attack against Russia’s military-industrial base.
Ukraine’s General Staff confirmed the operation, stating:
An excellent combined air and missile attack was employed, including the use of air-launched Storm Shadow missiles, which broke through the Russian air defence capability effectively.
The operation was commanded by the Ukrainian Air Force in coordination with the Navy, Land Forces, and other special troops.
Bryansk Chemical Plant Becomes a Strategic Target
The target of the strike was the plant, which was situated in Russia’s Bryansk Oblast. The plant produces gunpowder, explosives, and rocket fuel additives used in Russian artillery and arms production of missile shells. Ukraine’s military referred to the facility as Russia’s “key facility” for Moscow’s war effort that would play a pivotal role in sustaining Moscow’s invasion plans.
As Ukraine keeps assessing the full impact of the strike, early photos on social media appeared to show fire and smoke emanating from the site. The Kyiv Independent could not independently verify the photos at the time of writing, and no official statement has been made by the Russian government.
Storm Shadow cruise missiles, which are produced jointly by the UK and France, give Ukraine important long-range strike capabilities. Based on the variant, the missiles are able to strike targets 250 to 560 kilometers away. They have advanced terrain-following radar and are shaped to utilize stealth, so they will be able to sneak around Russian air defence.
The UK approved the employment of Storm Shadow missiles by Ukraine inside Russian territory towards the end of 2024. They have been used by Kyiv to hit military targets in Bryansk, Kursk, and occupied Crimea ever since. Russian President Vladimir Putin has branded the UK his “number one enemy” due to its continued military support for Ukraine, British Defence Secretary John Healey said.
The missile strike followed heightened tensions in U.S. foreign policy. On the same day, President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that Ukraine’s long-range strike capability “may hold the indispensable key to peace.” The comments followed a failed bid to obtain U.S.-made Tomahawk missiles during his October 17 summit with President Donald Trump.
Trump, citing fears of escalation, declined the invitation and scheduled a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The Kremlin rejected Trump’s offer to freeze the lines of conflict and initiate a ceasefire. Hence, U.S. officials confirmed on October 21 that there would be no summit in the near future.
Russia continues to decline to negotiate,” Zelensky said, “and as quickly as our long-range capability seemed less urgent, Russia’s desire for negotiation vanished.”
Russian Retaliation Kills Six in Ukraine
Within hours of Ukraine having launched an attack on the Bryansk Chemical Plant, Russia had initiated a drone and missile onslaught in Ukraine in retaliation. Six civilians, including two children, were killed, and emergency blackouts were ordered in Kyiv and the Dnipropetrovsk region.
Two individuals were killed in the capital, and a woman and two children were also killed in a bombardment of a residential area of the Kyiv region. Local officials reported that buildings had been damaged. The city’s military administration and Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko confirmed the dead.
In response to Russia’s continued aggression, UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and some of the leaders in Europe signed a joint statement promising to “ramp up the pressure on Russia’s economy and its defence industry.” The statement clearly emphasized that Ukraine must remain strong “before, during, and after any ceasefire.”
Ukraine keeps pounding military facilities on Russian soil in an effort to cripple Russia’s ability to wage war. The Bryansk Chemical Works, which participates in the production of ammunition and missiles, is a prime target.
With a diplomatic solution not forthcoming as the war rages on, the Ukrainian message is clear: deep penetrations into Russian soil are not revenge; they are strategic moves to secure peace by power.
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