Ukraine Strikes Bryansk Chemical Plant with Storm Shadow Missiles, Halting Production

Kyiv, Ukraine – Ukrainian forces successfully struck the Bryansk Chemical Plant deep inside Russian territory on October 21, 2025, utilizing British-made Storm Shadow cruise missiles. This operation marks the first officially acknowledged deep strike within Russia using these long-range weapons, targeting a facility crucial for Russian military production. The attack resulted in the detonation of an ammunition depot and the reported cessation of production at the plant.

The Bryansk Chemical Plant was a key component of Russia's military-industrial complex, responsible for producing explosives and components for Kh-59 missiles, which have been used against Ukrainian cities. Following the impact, "the ammunition depot detonated after impact, halting production," according to a social media post by Euromaidan Press. While Russian officials claimed all incoming missiles were shot down, videos circulating online showed significant fireballs and secondary explosions lasting for several hours.

This strike is part of an escalating wave of Ukrainian deep strikes aimed at disrupting facilities sustaining Russia's missile production. Previous attacks have reportedly targeted and destroyed defense factories in Bashkortostan, Dzerzhinsk, and Nizhny Novgorod, highlighting Ukraine's increasing capability to hit strategic targets far behind the front lines. These operations underscore a shift in Ukraine's strategy to degrade Russia's war-making capacity.

The Storm Shadow missiles, known for their precision and 450-kilogram warheads capable of destroying hardened targets, have proven highly effective. Production of these missiles by MBDA, which had seen a 15-year pause, resumed this summer in British and French plants. Output is now ramping up from an initial 10-20 missiles monthly to a projected 50 by 2026 to meet urgent demand and replenish stockpiles.

In the wake of these successful deep strikes, calls are intensifying for Germany to provide Ukraine with its Taurus missiles, which boast a 550-kilometer reach and advanced bunker-penetrating capabilities. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz faces renewed pressure to approve the transfer, with many drawing parallels to the 2023 tank coalition breakthrough, where initial reluctance was overcome as "Russia's red line threats proved hollow."