Ukraine's Flamingo missiles hit Samara plant that builds rockets for Russia's Starlink rival
On the night of August 15, Ukrainian Flamingo cruise missiles struck the Progress Rocket and Space Centre in Samara, Russia. The facility produces Soyuz rockets and spacecraft and is involved in Russia's Dawn (Rassvet) satellite communications program, widely described as Moscow's answer to Starlink.
The OSINT community Exilenova+ initially suggested, based on video from local residents, that the target might have been the Aviakor aircraft plant. Later, the community corrected its assessment, saying the fire was ongoing at the Progress facility after the missile impact and that the strike hit the main workshop. Exilenova+ published footage of the attack moment.
Denis Shtilerman, co-founder of Fire Point, shared a video of the missile launch and spread the OSINT report about the strike. The number of missiles used has not been disclosed. According to the community, the attack was also confirmed by the governor of the Samara region.
Military observer Igal Levin said the Progress plant is specifically linked to Russia's Dawn satellite communication program. The Soyuz-2.1b launch vehicles manufactured by the centre are used to put Dawn low-orbit communication satellites into orbit — the system is considered Russia's counterpart to Starlink.
Earlier, Vadym Skibitsky, deputy chief of Ukraine's military intelligence (HUR), said Russia was deploying the Dawn system much faster than its original plans suggested. Serhiy Beskrestnov, an advisor to the Ukrainian president on defense technology, also previously reported on launches conducted as part of the program.
The strike is a significant blow to Russian space infrastructure, as Progress is one of the country's key rocket-building enterprises. The plant has been central to Russia's space program for decades, producing Soyuz rockets used both for government launches and commercial missions. Its involvement in the Dawn program makes it a critical node in Russia's efforts to build a domestic satellite internet constellation.
