It was reported that a strike was launched on a factory producing components for "Iskander"
Ukrainian monitoring channels reported that the "Proton" optoelectronics plant in the Russian city of Orel was struck by a missile. The regional governor confirmed that one of the plants was struck and eight people were injured, but did not disclose the name of the enterprise. Information regarding the casualties and the scale of the destruction varies.
Strike reported on factory producing parts for "Iskander"
According to DW, on October 23, the governor of the Oryol region, Andrey Klychkov, announced that a missile strike had been launched on the region. He stated that eight people were injured, most of them receiving minor injuries. The governor accused the Ukrainian armed forces of attacking a "civilian facility."
Later, Klychkov reported that the strike hit a factory in the Sovetsky district of Oryol. He said a severe fire broke out at the enterprise, which was later extinguished. It was also reported that special services were preparing to clear the debris.
According to the governor, windows of several nearby apartment buildings and a number of cars were also damaged.
Ukrainian monitoring Telegram channels Exile+ and Supernova+ reported that the target of the attack was the "Proton" plant. According to them, the enterprise produces optoelectronics for the Russian military industry. Its products are used, in particular, in S-71 "Kovyor" air-launched cruise missiles, 9M723 "Iskander-M" ballistic missiles, and "Pantsir-S1" anti-aircraft missile and gun systems.
According to Exile+'s assessment, as a result of the strike, at least one production workshop of the plant was destroyed. The channel stated that the upper floors, roof, and facade structures of the building collapsed, making it impossible to continue operating the technological lines in the workshop.
Discrepant reports have circulated regarding casualties. Supernova+ claimed that 13 people were killed, including 11 women, and more than 30 people were missing. Russian blogger Anastasia Kashevarova also wrote that there were fatalities, but did not specify their number. Independent confirmation of these data was not provided in the report.
On the same day, the Russian Ministry of Defense stated that 87 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles were destroyed over seven regions of the country and annexed Crimea. The Oryol region is also on the ministry's list, but this statement does not disclose details of the missile strike on the plant.