Ukraine Targets Russian Satellite Network and Airfield as Moscow Demands Answers on US-Turkiye Arms Transfer

Ukrainian forces have executed a series of deep strikes within Russia, successfully hitting a military airfield and a rocket facility tied to the Russian Starlink-style satellite internet network. Concurrently, Moscow has pressed Washington and Ankara for clarification regarding reports of a potential transfer of a major U.S. weapons and ammunition arsenal held by Turkiye to Kyiv.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on Saturday that the Ukrainian military utilized domestically manufactured Flamingo cruise missiles to strike the Progress Centre rocket facility, a Roscosmos base located roughly 900km (560 miles) from the Ukrainian border. Zelenskyy emphasized the strategic value of the site, noting its role in manufacturing rocket technology and electronics for Russia's military operations. Additionally, Ukrainian forces targeted the Savasleyka air base situated approximately 700km (430 miles) away.

Ivan Noskov, the mayor of Samara in Russia, reported that air defenses intercepted a substantial Ukrainian attack, resulting in localized damage to industrial infrastructure. Meanwhile, in the Moscow region, a Ukrainian drone strike in Shatura left two individuals injured, including a nine-year-old child whose condition has since stabilized, according to Governor Andrey Vorobyov.

In retaliatory actions on Saturday, Russian strikes hit an apartment building in Marhanets, claiming the life of a three-month-old baby, local authorities confirmed.

On the diplomatic front, the Russian Foreign Ministry demanded explanations from the U.S. and Turkiye concerning the rumored transfer of U.S. weaponry. Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova warned that executing such a transfer would severely damage Moscow's diplomatic ties with both nations.