Ukraine Strikes Russian Missile Plants as Russia Alleges Nuclear Site Attacks

The Armed Forces of Ukraine conducted a series of strikes against Russian military-industrial targets on October 25 and 26. The primary target was the Energia plant in Yelets, Lipetsk Oblast, where attacks hit a production workshop and sparked a fire. The General Staff of the Ukrainian Army stated that Energia is the sole Russian manufacturer of batteries for air bomb guidance modules and produces power sources for Iskander-M missile systems and sea-based cruise missiles. These strikes were part of a wider campaign that included hits on the Proton-Elektroteks plant in Oryol and the Toliattikauchuk and Omsk Kauchuk plants.

Simultaneously, the Russian government accused Ukraine of intensifying attacks on the city of Enerhodar and the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant. Maria Zakharova, spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry, alleged that Ukrainian forces targeted an art school and a fire and rescue station. Zakharova claimed Kyiv is attempting to destabilize the plant by intimidating personnel to create a radiation-contaminated zone. She further criticized the International Atomic Energy Agency for responding with restraint rather than explicitly blaming Ukraine. These allegations have not been independently verified.