Russia launched its largest aerial assault in weeks overnight on 20–21 August, firing roughly 40 missiles and nearly 600 drones at targets across Ukraine, according to Kyiv’s air force. Several projectiles struck the western city of Mukachevo—an area that had seen relatively few attacks since the war began—marking a rare escalation near the Hungarian border. One missile hit a plant operated by U.S. electronics maker Flex, injuring at least 15 people and setting the facility ablaze, Ukraine’s emergency service said. The factory, which employs about 800 night-shift workers, is considered one of the biggest American investments in the country. Regional officials reported one fatality and additional injuries in separate strikes on residential areas. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called the bombardment a “deliberate” strike on American property aimed at undermining impending peace talks. Russia’s Defence Ministry said the barrage targeted Ukraine’s military-industrial complex and denied hitting civilian infrastructure. The attack comes days after U.S. President Donald Trump met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska and ahead of a planned White House summit with Zelenskyy and European leaders to discuss a roadmap for ending the three-year war. Diplomats say the strike risks hardening negotiating positions and could prompt renewed calls for tougher Western sanctions and security guarantees for Kyiv.