Russian missile hits Flex's plant in western Ukraine
A Russian missile strike hit the US-owned Flex electronics factory in Mukachevo, Zakarpattia Oblast, overnight on August 21, according to Ukrainian authorities.
The attack marked the first strike on the western Ukrainian city since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the facility was a civilian site with American investment, producing everyday household goods rather than military equipment. Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha confirmed the plant “has nothing to do with defence or the military,” the Kyiv Independent reported.
Local authorities said at least 19 people were injured in the strike. According to Sybiha, one missile hit the facility, while Zelensky stated that “several” cruise missiles were involved. Photos released by the State Emergency Services of Ukraine show extensive damage to the plant.
An employee told the Kyiv Independent that about 800 people usually work on the night shift. Most had evacuated to on-site shelters after air raid sirens sounded.
EMS provider Flex has operated in Ukraine since 2000, initially in Berehove, before opening the 55,000-square-metre Mukachevo facility in 2012. The plant employs more than 2,600 people.
