Russia burning as Ukraine launches massive overnight attack

Ukrainian forces unleashed a large-scale missile and drone assault on multiple Russian regions overnight into May 5, targeting key military-industrial and energy sites deep inside Russia. Local residents shared photos and videos to social media purporting to show a massive fire emanating from the JSC VNIIR-Progress institute in Cheboksary, Chuvash Republic. This facility is a Russian state institute located approximately 1,200 kilometres from the Ukrainian border.

It serves as a critical node in Moscow’s war machine, producing specialised components for high-precision weapons used to attack Ukrainian cities. Russian Telegram media channels reported: “A Ukrainian-made FP-5 Flamingo missile inflicted damage on the facility” following an air raid alert. Residents later observed Ukrainian drones striking the same facility again at approximately 7.30 am. local time. The dual-wave nature of the attack suggests a deliberate effort to disrupt emergency response and maximise the structural damage to the institute’s manufacturing lines.

Governor Oleg Nikolayev claimed: “One person was injured in the attack on Cheboksary.” According to data from Ukraine’s General Staff, the institute develops electronic warfare (EW) systems, specifically the Kometa antenna arrays.

These arrays are vital for jamming satellite and radar signals and are integrated into Shahed-type drones and Iskander-K cruise missiles. By targeting this facility, Kyiv aims to degrade Russia’s ability to navigate precision munitions and protect its own assets from sophisticated electronic interference.

Later that morning, the offensive shifted significantly towards Russia’s energy sector. Governor Alexander Drozdenko first reported a strike in an unspecified industrial zone before later announcing: “The Kirishi oil refinery served as the main target.”

Known as KINEF, this site is one of Russia’s three largest refineries, boasting an annual processing capacity of up to 21 million tons of crude oil. It produces over 6% of Russia’s total refined oil, providing the fuel for the Kremlin’s armoured columns and logistical networks

NASA’s FIRMS fire monitoring system appeared to corroborate these claims, detecting multiple thermal anomalies in the area. At least one photo posted to social media showed thick black smoke rising from the plant. Governor Alexander Drozdenko further claimed: “29 drones were downed over Leningrad Oblast.”

The scale of the FP-5 Flamingo missile’s deployment is particularly notable. Defence analysts note the missile, built by the manufacturer Fire Point, has seen increased usage since late 2025.

President Volodymyr Zelensky previously referred to the domestically produced weapon as Ukraine’s “most successful missile,” noting it is equipped with a 1,000 kg warhead and a 3,000-kilometre range. This allows Kyiv to strike targets as far as the Urals, bypassing traditional air defences.

The Russian Defence Ministry reported: “289 drones were downed over various Russian regions” during the night. In the capital, Mayor Sergey Sobyanin said, “Five drones were downed while approaching the Russian capital.”

The sheer volume of incoming projectiles forced at least 18 Russian airports to issue temporary ground stops, with air raid alerts stretching to regions 2,000 kilometres from the border.

The specific extent of the damage or the claims made by Russian officials could not be independently verified, reported The Kyiv Independent.

This massive operation occurred just one day after a drone struck a high-rise building in Moscow, a mere seven kilometres from the Kremlin. This sequence of deep-territory strikes comes less than a week before the May 9 Victory Day Parade.

While the Ukrainian military has not yet officially commented, the operation signals a significant escalation in Kyiv’s long-range capabilities and its strategy to bring the costs of the war home to the Russian public.