Russia deliberately targeted American factory in Mukachevo, ISW

Analysts suggest that Russia likely targeted the factory "to discourage the United States and Ukraine's European allies from investing in Ukraine or opening businesses within Ukraine."

The ISW notes that preparations for the strike took several weeks.

"Russia likely prepared for this strike for several weeks, stockpiling drones and missiles over the backdrop of ongoing US-Russian negotiations and the August 15 Alaska summit," the report states.

On the eve of the summit, Russia carried out smaller-scale attacks to present itself as a reasonable negotiator, while stockpiling munitions for a major strike afterward.

The missile hit the American Flex factory, causing a massive fire and injuring at least 19 workers. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized that "Flex is a US-owned civilian enterprise that manufactured household goods such as coffee machines."

Mukachevo strike

During the nighttime attack on Ukraine on August 21, two Russian missiles hit Mukachevo, a district center in the Zakarpattia region, located 35 km from the Hungarian border.

Two powerful explosions were reported in the city. According to available information, there were no fatalities, but 11 people were hospitalized, and 23 in total were injured.

The attack destroyed the American electronics factory Flex, the city’s largest employer and taxpayer, where nearly 3,000 people work.

Later, Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko commented on the strike, saying that Russia was attempting to "liberate Ukraine from coffee machines."

As of today, rescuers are continuing their second day of efforts to extinguish the massive fire caused by the Russian missile strike on August 21.