Russia bombs US factory in Ukraine in one of war's largest aerial attacks

Russian attack hits US owned enterprise in Ukraine, killing one and injuring 15 |

REUTERS

Lewis Henderson

By Lewis Henderson


Published: 21/08/2025

- 12:18

Updated: 21/08/2025

- 13:35

The attack is Russia's third-largest aerial strike this year

Russia has struck an American-owned factory with cruise missiles overnight in one of the largest aerial attacks since the war began.

The Ukrainian air forces said some 574 drones and 40 missiles were fired overnight.


The strikes killed one person and injured 15 more, striking a "major American electronics manufacturer", according to Andrii Sybiha, Ukraine's foreign minister.

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Far from the battlefield's front line in the east and south of Ukraine, the strikes focused on western regions.

It comes days after Russian President Vladimir Putin travelled to Alaska to meet US President Donald Trump to lay out his terms for peace.

This includes Ukraine withdrawing from the entire Donetsk region, despite it not currently being under Russian military control.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the attack was carried out "as if nothing were changing at all".

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People look on as the US factory burns

Onlookers stand by as the US factory burns

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REUTERS

Mr Zelensky said Russia "wasted several cruise missiles against an American business", adding it was a regular civilian enterprise producing domestic products.

The American business was located in the city of Mukachevo in Zakarpattia and had 600 workers inside.

It sparked a large fire, injuring 15 people and killing one.

Flex, a Texas-based electronics company, has a factory in Mukachevo, but has not confirmed where it was the target.

\u200bFirefighters work to put out the fire in the Mukachevo region

Firefighters work to put out the fire in the Mukachevo region

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REUTERS

\u200bFirefighters on the roof of the hit building in the Mukachevo region

Firefighters on the roof of the hit building in the Mukachevo region

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REUTERS

Mr Zelensky said that if the Russians are not ready to sit down for talks, he would like to see a "strong reaction" from the US.

The Ukrainian President said: "I responded immediately to the proposal for a bilateral meeting: we are ready. But what if the Russians are not ready?

"If the Russians are not ready, we would like to see a strong reaction from the United States."

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Putin "has repeatedly said that he is ready to meet, including with Mr Zelensky".

Smoke plumes out of the US-owned business's factory following the strikes

Smoke plumes out of the US-owned business's factory following the strikes

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REUTERS

Mr Zelensky and Mr Trump discussed the idea of a trilateral meeting, but Mr Putin reportedly responded by suggesting a one-on-one meeting with the Ukrainian leader first.

It was immediately rejected by the Ukrainian leader, with Europe now pushing for a neutral location.

Mr Zelensky said: "We want to have an understanding of the security guarantees architecture within seven to 10 days.

"And based on that understanding, we aim to hold a trilateral meeting. That was my logic."

Volodymyr Zelensky and Donald Trump

Volodymyr Zelensky and Donald Trump during their meeting on Monday

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REUTERS

He continued: "President Trump suggested a slightly different logic: a trilateral meeting through a bilateral one.

"But then we all agreed that, in any case, we continue working on the security guarantees, establishing this approximate framework, similar to Article 5.

"And what we have today is political support for this."

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