Russia attacked critical infrastructure in Zaporizhzhia on March 11, presumably using S-300 air defense missiles, the Zaporizhzhia Oblast Military Administration reported, without going into specifics.
The missile attacks started a fire in one of the neighborhoods of the regional capital city, according to acting Zaporizhzhia mayor Anatoliy Kurtiev.
One of Russia's goals is to capture the entirety of the partially occupied Zaporizhzhia Oblast after having declared an illegitimate annexation of the region in the fall, along with Kherson Oblast, Donetsk Oblast, and Luhansk Oblast.
Zaporizhzhia, a major industrial center with a hydroelectric plant, has resisted Russian attacks since the start of the full-scale invasion on Feb. 24, 2022. It is also known as the home of the historic Zaporizhzhian Cossack people, who once warred against Imperial Russia.
Russia has often used air defense missiles like S-300 to strike ground targets, possibly because of stockpile issues with cruise and ballistic missiles. Their speed makes them hard to intercept by Ukraine’s air defense.
