Ukraine strikes Oreshnik missile infrastructure in Russia

Ukraine’s Defense Forces confirmed that they carried out a series of long-range strikes in January 2026 against infrastructure linked to Russia’s Oreshnik missile complex at the Kapustin Yar test range in Russia’s Astrakhan region, according to an official statement from Ukraine’s General Staff.

In a statement released on 5 February, the General Staff said Ukrainian forces struck multiple hangar-type buildings used for pre-launch preparation of intermediate-range ballistic missiles at the Kapustin Yar range. The strikes were conducted using Ukrainian-produced long-range strike systems, including the FP-5 “Flamingo” missile, during January operations.

“Throughout January 2026, the Defense Forces of Ukraine carried out a series of successful strikes against a complex of hangar-type buildings where pre-launch preparation of intermediate-range ballistic missiles is conducted at the Kapustin Yar test range in Russia’s Astrakhan region,” the General Staff said in its statement.

Ukrainian military officials reported that several structures at the site sustained varying degrees of damage. One hangar was described as heavily damaged, while Russian personnel were partially evacuated from the affected area following the strikes.

According to the General Staff, the targeted facilities were associated with infrastructure supporting the Oreshnik missile system, which Russia has reportedly positioned at Kapustin Yar for testing and deployment activities. The Ukrainian military said the strikes were part of broader efforts to disrupt Russia’s long-range strike capabilities and related launch infrastructure.

Open-source intelligence analysts later corroborated elements of the Ukrainian account. OSINT researchers reported evidence consistent with an FP-5 “Flamingo” strike on infrastructure at Kapustin Yar during the night of January 27–28, including damage observed near the site’s 105th launch area.

The General Staff noted that these January attacks formed part of a sustained campaign targeting pre-launch missile infrastructure using Ukrainian long-range strike systems. Ukrainian officials subsequently released video footage showing the launch of FP-5 “Flamingo” missiles, marking one of the few publicly acknowledged uses of the system.

Russian authorities have not publicly confirmed damage to the Kapustin Yar range or commented in detail on the reported strikes. Russian military-affiliated bloggers and media outlets have also remained largely silent on the specific incident, despite prior reporting on Ukrainian long-range strike activity inside Russian territory.

The FP-5 “Flamingo” is described by Ukrainian sources as a domestically developed long-range strike missile designed to hit high-value targets deep behind the front line. The January attack represents the fifth publicly known instance of the missile’s operational use, according to Ukrainian and open-source assessments. If the reported target location is confirmed, the strike would also represent the longest-range employment of the system to date, with an estimated distance of roughly 650 kilometers from Ukrainian-held territory to Kapustin Yar.

Kapustin Yar has long served as one of Russia’s primary missile testing and launch facilities, hosting trials of ballistic missiles, air defense interceptors, and experimental systems. Any disruption to operations at the range could complicate Russian testing schedules and readiness related to long-range strike assets.