Satellite Images Show The Aftermath Of The Strike On The "Progress" Rocket And Space Center In Russia
- 18.08.2026, 14:59
It will take months to restore the strategic Russian plant.
On the night of August 15, the Ukrainian Defense Forces struck the Russian “Progress” Rocket and Space Center in Samara. This is the only facility in the Russian Federation engaged in the serial assembly of launch vehicles of the “Soyuz-2” family.
This was reported by the Telegram channel “KyberBoroshno”.
The strike likely hit Building 106A, which is part of the Soyuz rocket production complex. It is in this high-cleanliness facility that the “nervous system” of the launch vehicles is assembled: onboard electronics, instruments, the control system, and the cable network.
Without completing this stage, it is impossible to assemble a rocket, even with ready-made bodies and tanks. The final assembly building—106B—is also located nearby.
Consequences for Production
Restoring such a facility will take significantly longer than repairing a conventional workshop. Due to the specific nature of a high-cleanliness-class facility, the effects of fire, soot, and water damage mean that clean areas must be re-qualified, the technical process must be re-certified, and dust levels must be re-tested. This will take months, not weeks.
Furthermore, sanctions complicate the situation for Russia—the onboard electronics of the Soyuz rockets rely heavily on imported components, access to which is restricted and which cannot simply be purchased.
The Strategic Importance of “Progress”
This plant is unique, as there are no duplicate production facilities in Russia. Only here is the entire line of “Soyuz-2” rockets assembled, which Russia uses to launch its spacecraft into space. Among them are:
“Liana” military radio-technical reconnaissance and target-acquisition satellites;
“Persona” and “Razdan” optical reconnaissance satellites;
the “Rassvet” satellite internet service (an equivalent to Starlink from “Bureau 1440”), which is deployed exclusively by “Soyuz-2.1b” launch vehicles.
The exact extent of the damage at the plant is being determined using satellite imagery.