Why Russia's Deliberate Strike On Polish Factory In Ukraine Will Likely Backfire

Russian drones deliberately struck a Polish-owned factory in Ukraine that made flooring for homes. The attack was doubtlessly intended as a warning threat to Poland and other countries investing in Ukraine. 

But Putin has generally overestimated the value of his terror campaigns - perhaps because intimidation has always worked so well on the Russian people. He probably thought that the recent election of a conservative Polish president meant that Poles were tired of supporting Ukraine and that this attack would further drive public opinion away, as this is not their war. But the conservative was elected by a miniscule margin - among the closest in Polish history - and Poles have never indicated any desire to live under Russian dictatorship again. In fact, just the opposite. They also happen to possess the second largest and arguably best equipped army in Europe. Nothing unites a people like the perception that they are under attack. Just as he has consistently miscalculated Ukrainian opposition to Russia, so he appears to be adding Poland to the list of his immutable enemies. JL

Ellie Cook reports in Newsweek:

Russia intentionally struck a Polish-owned factory in Ukraine. Moscow launched drones at a flooring factory in the central Ukrainian city of Vinnytsia. Polish Foreign Minister Sikorski said the strikes came from "three directions." Eight people were hospitalized after Russian drone strikes on two civilian industrial facilities and four residential buildings in Vinnytsia. The uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs) caused "large-scale fires, significant damage and production cannot be resumed for six months. "The targeting of the factory was called "another barbaric attack" by Russia on civilians. The Polish diplomat added: "Putin's criminal war is getting closer to our borders."

Russia intentionally struck a Polish-owned factory in Ukraine, Warsaw's foreign minister said on Wednesday.

Why It Matters

Russia has hammered Ukraine with persistent missile and drone strikes, which have intensified in recent weeks as U.S.-brokered ceasefire negotiations yielded little progress.

Moscow has occasionally attacked facilities inside Ukraine that are owned by companies based in NATO member states. The Kremlin attacked a site used by U.S. defense giant Boeing in Kyiv last month, the Financial Times reported, and Swedish bearings company SKF said in August 2023 one of its factories had been hit by a Russian missile. Three people were killed at the plant in Lutsk, northwestern Ukraine, the company said at the time. Russian authorities described the plant as a legitimate military target.

An image published by Ukrainian emergency services early on Wednesday after Russian drone strikes on the central region of Vinnytsia overnight into July 16, 2025. State Emergency Service of Ukraine/ Telegram 

Moscow launched drones at a flooring factory in the central Ukrainian city of Vinnytsia operated by the Barlinek Group, headquartered in the Polish city of Kielce, Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski said in a statement posted to X.

Barlinek said in a statement provided to Newsweek that its factory was the "target" of a Russian drone attack and that the "losses are significant."

"At present, we do not anticipate that production can be resumed earlier than six months from now," Barlinek said, adding that it would not provide more information for safety reasons.

"The plant manager told me just now that it was deliberate," Sikorski said.

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Ukraine's state emergency service said early on Wednesday local time that eight people had been hospitalized after Russian drone strikes on two civilian industrial facilities and four residential buildings in Vinnytsia. The uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs) caused "large-scale fires," Ukrainian authorities said.

Two people were "severely burned," Sikorski said. A local official in Vinnytsia said five people had received burns in the region, categorized as "severe" for three people.

Sikorski, speaking to the media alongside Ukrainian foreign minister Andrii Sybiha, said the strikes came from "three directions." Sybiha said the targeting of the factory was "another barbaric attack" by Russia.

 

Referring to Russian President Vladimir Putin, the Polish diplomat added: "Putin's criminal war is getting closer to our borders."

Russian attacks on Ukraine's critical infrastructure, close to the country's border with NATO states Poland and Romania, have frequently caused the alliance to scramble fighter jets, in case the strikes spill over into NATO territory. Bucharest's defense ministry said on Wednesday Russian strikes into the early morning on port infrastructure close to the Romanian border prompted the country to put fighter jets on alert, although the aircraft did not take off.

Ukraine's President, Volodymyr Zelensky, said Russia had targeted Vinnytsia, as well as parts of southern, central and northeastern Ukraine, with the "heaviest" attacks overnight, homing in on energy infrastructure.

Zelensky said 15 people were injured, and officials were working on getting the power supply in the central city of Kryvyi Rih working "as fully as possible."

 

What People Are Saying

Ukraine's President, Volodymyr Zelensky, said on Wednesday: "Russia is not changing its strategy, and to effectively counter this terror, we need a systematic strengthening of defense."