Dramatic new footage has emerged showing another powerful Russian blow against Ukraine as a key defence plant was seen going “up in flames”. The strike triggered a huge fire and mushroom cloud at the Impuls plant, which is known to be a key maker of explosives and detonators in Shostka, Sumy region.
“Flames soared into space,” said one account on social media, while there were two distinct detonations seen after the plant was struck by Shahed drones supplied to Russia by repressive Iran.
There was a “powerful explosion and a huge column of fire”, wrote local Telegram channel Russkaya Vesna. “The glow illuminated the town for several hours.” The strike came on the same day Russia unleashed a new hypersonic missile on Ukraine – a nuclear-capable Oreshnik, aimed at a defence plant .
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(Image: social media / east2west news)
But this is the first footage of the strike at Impuls defence plant. The channel said the Ukrainian explosives factory was completely destroyed, but there was no immediate independent verification.
The plant is said to be the only one of its kind in Ukraine. uring the war, it played a key role in providing the Ukrainian defence industry with components for artillery shells, mines and other weapons. It was reported 18 months ago that Russia was increasing its use of the Shahed-136 drone – unmanned flying bombs thought to be supplied by Iran – on targets across Ukraine.
(Image: social media; E2W news)
Dr Matthew Powell, an expert in power and strategic studies at the Royal Air Force College and the University of Portsmouth, gave the chilling explanation exclusively to the Daily Star. Discussing the “loitering drones” he shared how they were an update on the technology Nazi Germany used to terrify and slaughter Brits in their homes during the Blitz.
“What we really see is that this is a development from the V1 or V2 rockets used in the Second World War. But with more sophisticated technology, better propulsion,” he said.
The V1 rocket made a famous raspberry sound as it jetted over from the European mainland and into Britain’s airspace, earning the infamous nickname “doodlebug”.
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