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Breaking News: Russia Launches Massive Aerial Attack on Ukraine, Strikes U.S.-Owned Flex Factory in Mukachevo
DocuNews Central | Thursday, August 21, 2025
ONE OF THE LARGEST RUSSIAN AERIAL ASSAULTS OF THE WAR
Ukraine has been rocked by one of the biggest aerial attacks since the start of the Russian invasion, as waves of missiles and drones rained down on its western regions in the early hours of Thursday. The strike, which Ukrainian officials described as “unprecedented in scale,” reached areas far removed from the usual front-line battles in the east and south of the country.
According to the Ukrainian Air Force, Russia launched a staggering 574 drones alongside 40 ballistic and cruise missiles in a coordinated overnight assault. Air defenses intercepted many, but several penetrated through, striking industrial, civilian, and infrastructural facilities in the western regions, including the city of Mukachevo in Zakarpattia Oblast.
AMERICAN-OWNED FACTORY TARGETED
Among the worst-hit facilities was the Flex Ltd electronics factory, a U.S.-owned plant based in Mukachevo. Flex Ltd, headquartered in Texas, is a major multinational electronics manufacturer. Ukrainian officials confirmed that the facility sustained heavy damage after multiple explosions ripped through its premises.
Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha strongly condemned the strike, stressing that the plant was a “fully civilian facility” with no connection to military production or defense. “Russia has once again proven that its war targets are indiscriminate, with no regard for international law or civilian lives,” Sybiha said.
At least 15 people were reported injured inside the Flex factory, though other local sources and media reports suggest the number may be as high as 19. Emergency services rushed to the scene to treat workers and staff who sustained injuries from flying debris, shattered glass, and collapsing infrastructure.
CASUALTIES REPORTED ACROSS WESTERN UKRAINE
While Mukachevo was among the hardest hit, casualties were also recorded in Lviv, another western city, where at least one person lost their life. Regional authorities confirmed the death and described widespread damage to residential areas. Across the broader region, up to 18 civilians were injured in total, underscoring the human toll of Russia’s intensified aerial campaign.
The Ukrainian Ministry of Internal Affairs said rescue and recovery operations are ongoing in several oblasts, including Zakarpattia, Rivne, and Lviv. Emergency response teams are continuing to clear rubble and provide medical assistance to survivors.
UNPRECEDENTED SCALE OF THE ASSAULT
The figures released by Ukraine’s military highlight the unprecedented scale of the attack. The launch of nearly 600 aerial weapons in a single night—combining drones and missiles—marks one of the largest barrages since the start of the full-scale invasion in February 2022.
Military analysts told DocuNews Central that the intensity of the strike serves multiple purposes for Moscow:
To stretch Ukraine’s air defenses across the entire country.
To demonstrate Russia’s long-range strike capacity ahead of ongoing international diplomatic efforts.
To send a message to Western partners, particularly the United States, by targeting a U.S.-owned company.
INTERNATIONAL REACTION AND U.S. CONCERNS
The attack on a Texas-based multinational has already drawn international attention. Diplomats in Kyiv and Washington are monitoring the situation closely. The U.S. Embassy in Ukraine released a statement condemning the strike, calling it a “direct assault on civilian infrastructure and international business operations in Ukraine.”
Western allies, including members of the European Union and NATO, are expected to respond with statements of solidarity in the coming hours. Analysts suggest this latest escalation could intensify debates about providing Ukraine with more advanced air defense systems to protect civilian industries and infrastructure located far from the front lines.
CIVILIAN LIVES AND CIVILIAN FACILITIES AT RISK
Ukrainian leaders emphasized that the Flex plant was not producing any military equipment and that Russia’s justification of the strike as a “strategic target” is false. Instead, the facility was focused on electronics manufacturing for commercial purposes.
By hitting a fully civilian site, Russia has once again been accused of violating international humanitarian law. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is expected to address the nation later today, with his office already signaling that Ukraine will bring the matter to global attention at the United Nations and other international forums.
A NATION UNDER SIEGE
For many Ukrainians living in the west—regions once considered relatively safe—the events of last night are a grim reminder that no part of the country is beyond Russia’s reach. Residents in Mukachevo described scenes of chaos as air raid sirens blared and explosions shook neighborhoods previously untouched by direct strikes.
“I was sleeping when I heard the first blast. The windows shattered instantly,” said Olha, a local resident who lives near the Flex factory. “We never thought something like this would happen here, so far from the front line.”
CONCLUSION
The overnight strike underscores Russia’s continued determination to expand the war beyond the front lines and to send shockwaves deep into Ukrainian territory. With one dead, at least 15–19 injured, and a U.S.-owned factory in ruins, the attack is likely to fuel international condemnation and raise fresh questions about the future direction of the conflict.
As Ukraine mourns its losses and begins recovery efforts, the country is once again pleading for stronger international support to bolster its defenses against what is being described as one of the most relentless waves of Russian aerial aggression to date.
DocuNews Central will continue to provide updates on this developing story.
