Throughout January 2026, Ukraine’s Defense Forces carried out a series of successful strikes against a complex of hangar facilities at the Kapustin Yar missile test range in Russia’s Astrakhan Oblast, the General Staff reports.
The strikes were conducted using long-range Ukrainian-made strike systems, including the FP-5 “Flamingo”, confirming a qualitatively new level of capability for Ukraine’s defense industry.
Ukraine does not possess its own interception systems capable of countering the Oreshnik, nor do most European countries.
Russia’s modernized 1970s Soviet missile can be intercepted but only from space: Expert says Romania, Poland, Germany hold key
Only Poland, Romania, and Germany are known to have limited air and missile defense capabilities against this missile, underscoring the scale of the threat Russia systematically uses as a tool of intimidation.
When a non-nuclear state hits a nuclear state's infrastructure
The strikes on Kapustin Yar represent the first known case in which a non-nuclear state has successfully targeted infrastructure used to prepare nuclear-capable ballistic missiles on the territory of a nuclear power.
Ukrainian strike systems, including the FP-5 Flamingo, demonstrated the ability to reach strategic targets deep inside Russia, shattering the perception of the invulnerability of Russian missile test ranges and altering the deterrence balance not only for Ukraine, but for Europe as a whole.
This constitutes an asymmetric response to Russia’s long-standing nuclear blackmail, which Moscow has used for years to pressure the West and attempt to paralyze support for Ukraine.
Why does Russia use Oreshnik as a signal to the West?
It was from the Kapustin Yar test range that Russian forces launched the Oreshnik intermediate-range ballistic missile (RS-26 Rubezh, modified version).
On 21 November 2024, this missile struck Pivdenmash in Dnipro, and later hit a gas facility in Lviv Oblast, located near the Polish border. The latter strike was a direct political signal to the West amid discussions on security guarantees for Ukraine within US-backed peace initiatives that any Western troops could be hit with Oreshenik.
The defining feature of the Oreshnik is that it cannot be detected in time nor intercepted. It is typically registered only after impact. The missile carries six separating warheads, which dramatically complicates any missile defense effort.
How did Ukrainian strikes disrupt Russia’s missile launch preparations?
According to the General Staff, the Ukrainian strikes caused varying degrees of damage to facilities at the test range. One hangar was significantly damaged, and some personnel were evacuated.
“According to available information, some buildings at the test range sustained damage of varying severity, one hangar was significantly damaged, and part of the personnel were evacuated from the area,” the General Staff reports.
Damage to hangars disrupts or complicates preparations for new launches, as these are not storage facilities but pre-launch missile preparation infrastructure.
Frequently asked questions
The Oreshnik is a Russian intermediate-range ballistic missile system capable of carrying nuclear warheads. It is designed to be difficult to detect and intercept, featuring six separating warheads that complicate missile defense efforts.
The Kapustin Yar missile test range is located in Russia’s Astrakhan Oblast. It is a strategic facility used for the pre-launch preparation and testing of intercontinental and intermediate-range ballistic missiles.
The FP-5 “Flamingo” is a long-range, Ukrainian-made cruise missile or strike system developed domestically. It has demonstrated the capability to strike strategic targets deep inside Russian territory, such as the Kapustin Yar test range.
According to the report, most European countries and Ukraine lack the systems to intercept the Oreshnik, which is often only detected after impact. Currently, only limited missile defense capabilities against it are known to exist in Poland, Romania, and Germany.
