Ukrainian drones strike key Russian semiconductor plant supplying defense industry
In the early hours of Wednesday, May 21, the city of Bolkhov in Russia's Oryol region witnessed tremendous explosions and a fire near a semiconductor plant. The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine confirmed an assault by ten Ukrainian drones on the facility. This plant is a leading producer of semiconductor components in Russia, supplying to 19 defense industry enterprises that manufacture, among others, "Kinzhal" and "Iskander" missiles, as well as aircraft for Russia's Sukhoi company.
Andriy Kovalenko, head of the Center for Countering Disinformation at the National Security and Defense Council, noted on his Telegram channel that the Russians use this plant to produce semiconductors, microchips, and control components for electronic warfare systems such as "Zhitel" and "Krasukha," as well as T-90M and T-72B3 tanks, Kh-101 missiles, self-propelled howitzers, and tactical communication systems. Kovalenko highlighted that, despite sanctions, the plant has continued importing components from South Korea, Taiwan, Japan, and the United States through third-party countries and the so-called "parallel import."
The Ukrainian General Staff mentioned that with a workforce of approximately 700, the plant produces nearly three million devices annually. Meanwhile, the aggressor nation's Ministry of Defense claimed that Russian air defense forces intercepted and destroyed 127 Ukrainian drones over the regions of Moscow, Tula, Bryansk, Belgorod, Oryol, Kursk, Ryazan, Kaluga, and Vladimir. Recently, Ukrainian drones also hit the Bazalt plant, a facility specializing in producing munitions and weaponry for the various military branches of the Russian army.