Russia Strikes Steel Plant in Zelensky's Hometown
Two killed and 14 injured in attack on ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih. Meanwhile, a Ukrainian drone strike sparked a fire at a warehouse in the Moscow region.
Two killed and 14 injured in attack on ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih. Meanwhile, a Ukrainian drone strike sparked a fire at a warehouse in the Moscow region.
Russian forces launched a wave of airstrikes on Ukraine overnight on August 16, 2026, killing two people in an attack on a steel plant in the industrial city of Kryvyi Rih, the hometown of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. At the same time, Kyiv launched a major drone attack on the Moscow region, killing one person and setting fire to a warehouse used by a leading Russian online retailer, according to the South China Morning Post.
Ukrainian officials confirmed that 14 people were injured in the attack on Ukraine's largest steel plant. ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih said on social media that key production facilities in the power generation and blast furnace sectors were damaged, and that the plant's production processes have been partially halted.
Romania, which borders Ukraine, said an F-18 fighter jet as part of a NATO air policing mission shot down a drone that entered its airspace during the latest attacks. A NATO spokesperson said it appeared to be a Russian drone, although Romania did not specify its origin. The drone entered Romanian airspace from Moldova.
Last week, Russia targeted Ukraine's largest grain export port on the Danube River, near the Romanian border, after intensifying attacks on Ukraine in recent weeks. Ukraine has also stepped up attacks on Russian targets, including oil refineries, and both sides have struck commercial ships in the Black Sea.
On the same day, NATO announced that its forces in Slovakia are testing the latest technologies that will help protect the eastern part of the Alliance. "Drones, robots, next-generation communication systems: this is what modern battlefield technology looks like," NATO posted on Twitter, along with photos of the tests in Slovakia.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022, and the conflict continues to escalate with attacks on civilian and industrial infrastructure on both sides.
