Russian strike hits missile unit outside Kyiv in retaliation of Moskva ship sinking

A Ukrainian military factory that produced missiles allegedly used to hit Russia’s Moskva warship was partly destroyed by Russian strikes.

People stand beside damaged buildings at the Vizar company military-industrial complex. Picture: FADEL SENNA / AFP

A Ukrainian military factory outside Kyiv that produced missiles allegedly used to hit Russia’s Moskva warship was partly destroyed by overnight Russian strikes, an AFP journalist at the scene saw Friday.

A workshop and an administrative building at the Vizar plant, which lies near Kyiv’s international Zhuliany airport, were seriously damaged.

A man stands in a building with a collapsed facade at the Vizar company military-industrial complex. Picture: FADEL SENNA / AFP

Russia had earlier announced it had hit the factory using Kalibr sea-based long-range missiles.

The strike came a day after Ukraine claimed it had destroyed Russia’s Moskva warship, which Moscow later said had sunk.

According to a statement on Ukraine’s state weapons manufacturer Ukroboronprom website, the Vizar factory produced Neptune missiles.

Andrei Sizov, a 47-year-old owner of a nearby wood workshop, said the strikes came at night.

“Around 1:30am, my security guard called me because there was an air strike,” he told AFP.

“There were five hits. My employee was in the office and got thrown off his feet by the blast.”

He said believes Russia was taking revenge for the Moskva warship.

The governor of Ukraine’s southern Odessa region, Maxim Marchenko, had said Thursday that the Ukrainian army had used Neptune missiles to strike the Moskva.

A man walks after the site was hit by overnight Russian strikes. Picture: FADEL SENNA / AFP

People stand beside damaged buildings at the Vizar company military-industrial complex in the town of Vyshneve, southwestern suburbs of Kyiv. Picture: FADEL SENNA / AFP

Moscow warned it would step up missile attacks on Kyiv in response to what it said were sorties across the border, the day after its Black Sea naval flagship sank.

The Moskva missile cruiser had been leading Russia’s naval effort in the seven-week conflict, and the circumstances around its sinking and the fate of its crew remain murky.

Russia’s defence ministry said a blast on the vessel was the result of exploding ammunition and that the resulting damage had caused it to “lose its balance” as it was being towed to port.

The fleet has been blockading the besieged southern port city of Mariupol, where Russian officials say they are in full control.

Women clean in the Ukrainian military factory outside Kyiv that produced missiles allegedly used to hit Russia's Moskva warship. Picture: FADEL SENNA / AFP)

The Moskva, missile cruiser flagship of Russian Black Sea Fleet. Picture: Vasiliy BATANOV / AFP

Moscow, which invaded Ukraine partly because of deepening ties between Kyiv and NATO, on Friday warned of unspecified “consequences” should Finland and Sweden join the US-led defence alliance.

The two countries are considering joining NATO in light of Russia’s devastating invasion of neighbouring Ukraine.

“The choice is up to the authorities of Sweden and Finland,” Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in a statement.

Originally published as Russian strike hits missile unit outside Kyiv in retaliation of Moskva ship sinking