The Russian facility struck by Ukrainian forces on the night of September 26 is reportedly an important node in the production chain for numerous Moscow missile systems, from the Kh-101 to the R-37M, including the Oreshnik ballistic missile.
This is indicated by internal documents obtained by the Ukrainian private intelligence company Dallas Analytics and partly reviewed by Defense News. The material concerns the Azov Optical-Mechanical Plant (AOMZ), located in the city of Azov, in Rostov Oblast, and includes corporate correspondence, state contracts, and industrial cooperation programs.
According to Dallas Analytics, the documents place the facility within the production chains of at least seven Russian missile programs. The plant belongs to the Tactical Missiles Corporation (KTRV), one of the leading groups in Russia’s missile industry.
The September 26 attack
The Ukrainian General Staff confirmed the attack on the Azov Optical-Mechanical Plant, reporting a fire at the foundry and damage to equipment in five production buildings.
According to the Ukrainian Security Service (SBU), naval units also took part in the operation, which employed Neptune cruise missiles alongside Ukrainian-made jet-powered unmanned systems. Kyiv identified optical production, the foundry, the assembly shop, the electroplating shop, and printed circuit board production among the damaged areas.
The governor of Rostov Oblast, Yuri Slyusar, acknowledged a drone attack against Azov and damage to «industrial facilities» and several residential buildings, but did not officially identify AOMZ as the target.
Russian authorities have therefore not confirmed the extent of the damage to the facility. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, however, stated that a plant supplying components for missiles and artillery had been struck in the region.
From the Kh-101 to the Oreshnik
The documentation analyzed by Dallas Analytics primarily covers the period between April 2023 and March 2025. The material includes a procurement program with 71 items and 44 suppliers of electronic components.
According to the intelligence company, AOMZ is involved in producing components for several weapons systems, including:
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the Kh-101 strategic cruise missile;
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the R-37M long-range air-to-air missile;
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the Kh-35U anti-ship missile;
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the Kh-59 and Kh-69 air-to-surface missiles;
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the Kh-31P anti-radiation missile;
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the Oreshnik intermediate-range ballistic missile.
A further document provided to Defense News also lists components for an air-to-air missile, accompanied by the notation «export China, 192 pieces», although the article does not identify the weapon model with certainty.
For the 2025 production program, the documentation places the total value of components intended for the plant at 583.6 million rubles, approximately $6.9 million. Of this amount, 497.6 million rubles had already been advanced.
The plant’s role in Kh-101 production
AOMZ’s involvement in the production of the Kh-101, one of the main air-launched cruise missiles used by Russia against Ukraine, is said to be particularly significant.
According to Dallas Analytics, the plant manufactures two systems for the missile: the «Otblesk» optical navigation system and a flight automation unit.
The «Otblesk» is described by the company as a lidar system used to support missile navigation even when the satellite signal is disrupted by electronic warfare. The second system would instead manage functions related to flight automation and control.
Dallas Analytics maintains that, based on the documentation obtained, no alternative suppliers have emerged for these two components. However, this is an assessment by the intelligence company rather than independently verified information covering the entire Russian industrial supply chain.
The Kh-101 is a long-range cruise missile regularly used by Russian strategic aviation against targets in Ukraine. The Kh-102, designed to carry a nuclear warhead, belongs to the same family.
Planned deliveries for 2026
Other documents reviewed by Defense News appear to relate to the plant’s production program for 2026 and provide details on the quantities of certain components planned for the year.
These include 36 sets of electrical and power-supply units intended for what Dallas Analytics identifies as the R-37 air-to-air missile.
The plan also includes 41 units of item «65СНЛЭ», which the company says are intended for an export version of the Kh-38 air-to-surface missile. A further 50 units were scheduled for November and December for a version of the weapon intended for Russian forces.
Another element concerns TRV-Engineering, a procurement entity linked to KTRV. The company’s name appears in the documents as a supplier of microcircuits for the Kh-101 navigation system.
Previous Dallas Analytics investigations had already identified TRV-Engineering as one of the channels through which foreign-origin electronic components allegedly reached Russia’s missile industry despite international restrictions.
Moscow sought to increase R-37M production
Another document considered significant is a letter from Tactical Missiles Corporation dated March 4, 2025 and marked «URGENT!!!».
According to Dallas Analytics, in the communication KTRV informed AOMZ of a request from the Russian Aerospace Forces to increase deliveries starting in 2026.
The documentation indicates an annual requirement for 500 units of each of several electronic modules, along with 1,000 R-37M missile casings. Plant management was reportedly given just 72 hours to state whether the facility could meet the new quotas.
The R-37M is a very-long-range air-to-air missile used primarily by Russian aircraft against high-priority aerial targets and represents one of the main threats to Ukrainian aviation.
Sanctions and the components issue
The Azov Optical-Mechanical Plant has been subject to U.S. sanctions since 2022. Restrictions were subsequently imposed by the European Union, the United Kingdom, Japan, Ukraine, and other countries.
Dallas Analytics maintains that the industrial network linked to the plant nevertheless continues to obtain foreign components through intermediaries and front companies, allowing Russian production to circumvent international restrictions at least in part.
The effect of the September 26 strike on Russian missile production remains difficult to quantify at present. Information released by Kyiv indicates damage to several sections of the plant, but there is still insufficient independent evidence to determine whether, and for how long, production lines were disrupted.
Dallas Analytics itself notes that striking a single industrial node could cause delays measurable in months, but would be unlikely on its own to result in a permanent loss of capacity. The impact will depend on Russia’s ability to repair the facilities, transfer manufacturing work, and rebuild the associated supply chains.
Summary
Documents obtained by Dallas Analytics link the Azov Optical-Mechanical Plant, struck by Ukraine on September 26, to at least seven Russian missile programs, including Kh-101, R-37M, and Oreshnik. Kyiv reports damage to five production buildings; the actual impact on production remains to be verified.
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