A Russian missile strike hit the ArcelorMittal mining and metallurgical complex in Kryvyi Rih, Ukraine’s largest integrated steel plant, killing two people and injuring 14 workers, according to the report. The facility, owned by ArcelorMittal and associated with Indian-origin billionaire Lakshmi Mittal, suffered damage to key energy and blast-furnace operations. The attack forced the company to partially halt production as the facility dealt with the impact of the strike. The attack came after Ukraine launched a large-scale wave of drone strikes against targets across Russia.

Moscow said hundreds of Ukrainian drones had been intercepted during the overnight assault, describing it as one of the largest aerial attacks of the war. The escalation illustrates the increasingly intense pattern of long-range strikes between Russia and Ukraine, with both sides targeting infrastructure and other sites far from the front lines. Russia’s Defence Ministry said it had intercepted 822 Ukrainian drones across the country overnight. Moscow regional Governor Andrey Vorobyov described the Ukrainian assault as “one of the most massive drone attacks in recent memory”.

The scale of the reported drone operation forced Russian authorities to respond across several regions, while the Ukrainian side continued to face Russian attacks on its territory. In the Moscow region, an 83-year-old man was killed after a Ukrainian drone struck a private residence, Vorobyov said. He also reported that another Ukrainian attack caused a fire at a Wildberries warehouse in Podolsk. Wildberries is Russia’s largest online retailer and is controlled by billionaire Tatyana Kim, who has been described as the country’s richest woman.

Also Read: Huge Smoke Clouds Rise Over Russia Warehouse After Ukraine’s Massive Moscow Attack

Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said around 600 drones had been detected heading towards the Russian capital. According to Sobyanin, roughly one-third of those drones were destroyed over the Moscow region. The reports highlight the scale of Ukraine’s long-range drone campaign and the growing challenge for Russian air-defence systems as Kyiv continues to target locations deep inside Russian territory. The strike on the ArcelorMittal complex is significant because Kryvyi Rih is one of Ukraine’s most important industrial centres and a major base for steel production. The facility’s operations depend heavily on stable energy supplies and functioning industrial infrastructure.

Damage to energy systems and blast-furnace operations can have a direct impact on production, potentially affecting output and the wider industrial economy. ArcelorMittal has been operating in Kryvyi Rih since acquiring the Ukrainian steel and mining complex in 2005. The site is among the country’s largest industrial facilities and employs thousands of workers. Since Russia’s full-scale invasion began in February 2022, Ukraine’s industrial infrastructure has repeatedly come under attack, forcing companies to adjust operations in response to security threats, power disruptions and damage to critical facilities. The latest exchange of attacks comes as Russia and Ukraine continue to intensify their use of drones and missiles.

Ukraine has increasingly relied on long-range drones to strike military, energy and industrial targets inside Russia, while Russia has continued missile and drone attacks against Ukrainian cities and infrastructure. The reciprocal strikes have expanded the geographic reach of the conflict and increasingly affected major economic and industrial facilities. The immediate priority at the Kryvyi Rih complex is expected to be assessing the damage and restoring affected operations while ensuring the safety of workers. The two deaths and injuries reported at the site add to the human cost of the latest escalation. With both sides continuing to launch large-scale aerial attacks, the incident underscores how the war is increasingly extending beyond the immediate battlefield and into major population and industrial centres.

Also Read: Report Links Russian Escort To Fatal Trash Bin Bomb Targeting Ukrainian Defector