On the night of May 21, Ukrainian defense forces, utilizing unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), launched a large-scale attack on one of the key facilities of the Russian defense-industrial complex, inflicting significant damage in the Oryol region
This information was provided by an official source—the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine—which announced the successful strike on a sanctioned semiconductor plant in Bolkhovo. According to Ukrainian military reports, during the night, a group of ten drones purposefully penetrated the area of an industrial facility owned by the Russian military-industrial complex. As a result of precise strikes, a fire broke out at the plant, and key production facilities of the enterprise were damaged. Currently, detailed information regarding the extent of destruction and possible consequences is being clarified. It is worth noting that, despite external restrictions—this project is under international sanctions—this plant annually produces about three million semiconductor devices, and approximately 700 workers ensure its operation. Military experts emphasize that this is one of Russia’s leading enterprises in the development and production of high-tech components for military and civilian applications. The main range of products includes semiconductor devices, microelectronics, power electronics, diodes and diode assemblies, microcircuits for impulse power supplies, optoelectronic switches, and servo drives. It is reported that products from this enterprise are actively supplied to at least 19 Russian defense factories. These include manufacturing facilities involved in the production of military aircraft under the Sukhoi company, as well as for the Iskander and Kinzhal missile systems. Therefore, damaging this plant could have potentially significant repercussions for the Russian military industry, disrupting logistics chains and reducing the capacity to produce critical components. Regarding previous events, the head of the Oryol region, Andriy Klichkov, already stated that, as a result of the drone attack in Bolkhovo, equipment was damaged in several residential buildings and infrastructure facilities of the semiconductor plant. According to him, the extent of the damages is still being assessed, but it is already clear that the strike had a substantial impact on the local utilities and industrial sectors. Users and analysts on social media actively discuss these events, once again highlighting the high level and effectiveness of Ukrainian drone units in confronting the Russian military machinery, as well as the gradual depletion of the potential of occupation enterprises and the increase in strategic losses for the Kremlin’s technical supply chain. At the same time, Russian officials are trying to contain panic, making official statements about “local damages,” but with known potential long-term consequences for the defense industry. Overall, this attack once again confirmed that Ukraine is decisively and purposefully continuing to strike key objects within the Russian military-industrial complex, particularly through the use of advanced unmanned attack tools. These significantly reduce the enemy’s potential and bring Ukraine closer to victory in the ongoing war.