(KYIV) – Ukrainian forces have struck a sensitive Russian space infrastructure facility in Samara region, damaging buildings used to assemble electronics for missiles that launch Moscow’s satellite programme, according to footage and analysis published on 16th August 2026.
The strike, carried out using Ukrainian FP-5 Flamingo missiles, hit the Progress enterprise in Samara, a facility producing Soyuz-2.1b rockets used to deploy Russia’s Russet satellite system, an analogue of Starlink.
Footage filmed by local residents showed two Flamingo missiles striking the facility with precision. Analysts from the Cyber Boroshno group, who reviewed all available video from the site, confirmed that building 106A was hit and possibly building 106B. These buildings are where Russia assembles electronics, microchips and wiring for its missiles.
“Even if they can produce missiles themselves, without electronics, they will not fly,” said Denys Davydov, a Ukrainian aviation blogger and Boeing 737 captain who published the analysis.
Night footage showed the launch of Flamingo missiles from the Kharkiv region. Russian official air defence claims stated that 17 Ukrainian FP-5 Flamingo missiles were shot down. However, Russian military bloggers questioned this figure.
“We don’t recall the enemy ever launching more than six Flamingo missiles in a single salvo before,” the bloggers noted, according to the video report. “Either the Ukrainian forces managed to stockpile two dozen missiles including a couple that reached Samara Enterprise and the rest 17 of the missiles were repelled by the Russian air defence, or someone is fabricating virtual missiles for reports.”
Analysts including Max 26 suggested that one missile was shot down near Voronezh, two more near Saratov, and two reached their target, making a total of five missiles launched.
The report noted that a Russian A-50U airborne early warning aircraft was observed flying during the attack, tracing missiles with a range of 400 to 500 kilometres and transferring information to Russian air defences and fighter jets.
The Samara region is hundreds of kilometres from Ukraine, demonstrating the extended reach of Ukrainian missile capabilities. The report questioned why the Kerch Bridge, which is significantly closer to Ukrainian territory, had not been targeted with similar strikes.
“Maybe Russia still has advanced air defence close to the Kerch Bridge, or maybe Ukraine was told by allies not to strike the Kerch Bridge because it might influence some of the negotiations,” the report stated.
The Progress enterprise produces Soyuz-2.1b rockets used to launch Russet satellites. The Russian dictator Vladimir Putin has repeatedly claimed that Russia is developing solutions to rival or surpass Starlink.
As of March 2026, Russia had 16 Russet satellites in orbit, providing coverage over Ukraine for a couple of hours per day. This could enable Russia to operate drones far behind front lines with long range and medium range strikes.
Ukraine currently operates Starlink in occupied regions of its own territory but does not have permission to use the system on Russian territory because Elon Musk is against such use.
Russia plans to launch 292 satellites, potentially covering all of Ukrainian territory for 24 hours a day, seven days a week, by 2027. Russian officials are reportedly ahead of schedule on satellite launches.
A deputy head of Ukrainian military intelligence warned approximately one month ago that this represented a new type of threat from Russia. Starting a space war is not considered an option as Ukraine lacks the necessary tools and Russia could escalate.
“The only variant is maybe to hurt those Russian communication facilities, missiles and satellite production factories,” the report stated.
Ukraine is developing ballistic missiles such as FP-7 and FP-9, which are harder to intercept, with mass production planned for next year. However, the race is against time as Russia may establish satellite control over Ukraine as early as next year.
“With today’s strike, the Russian satellite Russet programme will be postponed,” the report concluded, noting that sanctions make it difficult for Russia to import electronics.
Separately, night images showed fires at Russia’s Savasleyka military airfield in Nizhny Novgorod region. The base hosts MiG-31K aircraft capable of launching Kinzhal missiles. Confirmation of a destroyed MiG-31 was later published in what the report described as “Iranian style confirmation,” referencing a meme format.
The report also noted that fuel shortages in Russia are escalating, with fuel prices rising sharply. When Ukraine strikes Russian refineries, Russia reestablishes logistics to obtain fuel from other facilities, after which Ukraine strikes again at new refineries, pipelines, pumping stations and fuel storages.
“Exhausting the Russian fuel system all the time,” the report stated. “The fuel shortage in Russia hasn’t ended fully. No, it is escalating.”
NASA FIRMS fire detection satellites reported fires at Balaklava in occupied Crimea, the site of a former Soviet submarine base now used as Russian military infrastructure. Additional footage showed the aftermath of strikes on a Russian military airfield in occupied Crimea, where attempts to hide equipment behind nets proved unsuccessful.
The most recent strike on Russian energy infrastructure occurred on 14th August 2026, when Ukrainian long range drones damaged the stable gas condensate fractionation unit and the combined hydrocracking unit at Novatek Ust-Luga in Leningrad Oblast, close to St Petersburg.
The video report also cited a New York Times article stating that Putin, at a briefing with military commanders in late 2025, set a goal for 2026 of collapsing NATO and the European Union from within. Western intelligence officials cited by the newspaper said the Kremlin’s top priority is subjugating Ukraine, followed by taking control over Moldova.
Russia attempted to install pro Russian governments in Moldova and Hungary but failed in both missions, according to the report.
“So those negotiations about Donbas, they’re useless. They’re just done to brainwash Donald Trump,” the report stated, noting that Trump had posted on his social media platform about getting along well with Kim Jong-un.
According to United Nations official reports, 2026 has seen a record number of civilian losses in Ukraine. Ukrainian ports are being blocked while Russian ships are being struck. Front lines remain largely static but with tremendous losses on both sides.
“What did Trump resolve? What has he resolved? Nothing. Absolutely,” the report stated. “It was just pure humiliation of the United States of America.”
The report noted that Russia has not occupied any major Ukrainian cities such as Kyiv, Kharkiv, Odesa, Dnipro or Lviv, and that Russia is unable to physically reach its military goals in Ukraine.
An Antonov An-124 Ruslan transport aircraft was photographed being refuelled at a Lukoil station in Bulgaria, a Russian affiliated company still operating in NATO and EU territory despite sanctions. The aircraft delivers weaponry to Ukraine via a hub in Poland.
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