Updated @ 5:31 PM EDT on August 21, 2025
Ukraine’s KYIV According to Ukrainian officials, two Russian cruise missiles struck an American electronics facility in a remote area in far western Ukraine just before dawn on Thursday, causing significant damage and injuring over a dozen people.
According to reports, the incident occurred as Russia launched one of its biggest bombings of the conflict, launching 40 missiles and more than 570 drones in a nighttime volley.
Several officials, including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, reported the airstrike on social media, stating that at least 15 people were injured.
Zelenskyy described the Telegrames messaging software as a “ordinary civilian enterprise, an American investment” in his piece. They manufactured well-known home appliances including coffee makers.
The Russian military “delivered this strike as if nothing had changed at all,” the Ukrainian leader continued. As if the world wasn’t trying to halt this conflict.”
With more than 100 offices and factories globally, the affected company, Flex, manufactures civilian electronic components and products. The corporation was established in the United States, with headquarters in Singapore and Austin, Texas, and is listed on the NASDAQ. Emails for comment were not immediately answered by Flex.
Social media videos showed the company’s plant in the town of Mukachevo, close to the Hungarian border, emitting heavy black smoke.
According to Myroslav Biletskyi, commander of the area military administration, some 600 employees were on duty when the missiles struck before five in the morning. He pointed out that if they hadn’t followed the air raid sirens and sought refuge in safe places prior to the assault, the death toll would have been significantly greater. According to him, around one-third of the enormous factory was destroyed by fire.
“This company only manufactured home appliances. Biletskyi stated that Flex had been using the location since 2012 and that it had never manufactured any military hardware.
Andy Hunder, the president of the American Chamber of Commerce in Ukraine, posted on X, saying, “Russia continues to destroy and humiliate U.S. businesses in Ukraine, targeting companies that invest and trade on the U.S. stock markets.” He said that the factory was among the biggest private sector investments made by the United States in Ukraine.
Why the factory was attacked was not disclosed by Russia.
Western Ukraine has fewer Russian strikes than other regions. However, Russia launched hundreds of drones and missiles into the area during the night. Most of the incoming weapons were shot down, according to Ukraine’s military, but others were able to pass through. The military also reported that one civilian was killed in Lviv, the biggest city in western Ukraine.
Attack follows Trump’s diplomatic efforts
Days have passed since President Trump met separately with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska and Zelenskyy in Washington in an effort to begin peace talks.
Trump has directed Air Force Gen. Dan Caine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, to develop measures for Ukraine’s security assurances. Any U.S. involvement would probably be restricted to air support, though. Trump has stated unequivocally that he does not want American forces in Ukraine, even if they remain there as peacekeepers once the conflict is over.
Caine has been communicating with colleagues in European nations. As the battle continues, some European powers have stated that they may send soldiers in the future, although the negotiations are still in their early stages.
Meanwhile, Ukrainians think Putin is still committed to continuing the conflict. While many believe that Western security guarantees should be absolute, Ukrainians nonetheless want them.
Oleksandr Merezhko, a member of the Ukrainian parliament who serves as the head of the Foreign Affairs Committee, stated, “I firmly continue to believe that the only solution is NATO membership for Ukraine.” “The war would end as a result. Since Putin is solely scared of NATO, this would put an end to his aggressiveness.
His stance is shared by many Ukrainians. Although Ukraine was first given a route to NATO membership in 2008, no significant progress has been made subsequently, and Trump claims that the present climate will prevent it from happening.
Steve Witkoff, Trump’s ambassador, has mentioned a guarantee that might be similar to NATO’s Article 5, which states that an assault on one is an attack on all.
However, Russia has invaded Ukraine twice, first in 2014 and then again on a far greater scale in 2022, despite Ukraine’s earlier weak security pledges.
Russia is still adamantly against Western forces in Ukraine. Russia should have the ability to reject security assurances for Ukraine, according to Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who reaffirmed the nation’s stance on Wednesday. That would essentially negate the significance of any such assurances.
Although there has been a lot of diplomatic activity lately, neither Russia nor Ukraine have shown that they are prepared to make significant compromises.
Merezhko, a member of the Ukrainian parliament, stated that “the interests, positions, and stances of Ukraine and Russia are diametrically opposed and they cannot be reconciled at the present moment.”
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