On the night of September 12, 2026, Russian forces used rocket-powered drones to attack the Cersanit factory in the city of Zvyagel in Zhytomyr Oblast. According to data obtained by RBC-Ukraine from the company's official website, the facility sustained serious damage and production was halted. At the time of the strike, employees were on the premises, but all of them were safely evacuated; according to the company's official data, there were no fatalities among the workers.
Course of the attack and the status of personnel
Cersanit clarified that the attack was carried out with rocket-powered drones. The company emphasized that workers were present on the premises at the time of the strike. All of them were safely evacuated, and, according to Cersanit's official statements, no members of the staff were killed as a result of the attack.
Scale of damage and recovery timeline
Despite the absence of casualties, the material damage was significant. Key elements of the production cycle required for manufacturing ceramic tiles were damaged. As a result, according to the company's assessment, resuming production and its further operation are impossible given the current state of the factory. Cersanit is conducting a detailed assessment of the scale of the destruction and the associated losses.
Preliminary estimates by the company indicate that restoring production capacity will take at least six months. The final timeline, as noted by Cersanit, will depend on the results of a detailed inspection of the facility and the ultimately established scale of the damage.
A series of strikes on Ukrainian businesses
The attack on the factory in Zvyagel became part of an ongoing series of strikes by Russian forces on Ukrainian businesses. Warehouses, logistics centers, factories, shopping malls, and gas stations are being targeted. This month, according to available data, a tobacco factory in Pryluky was hit, producing Kent, Lucky Strike, Pall Mall, Rothmans, Capri, and "Pryluky" cigarettes, as well as glo heated-tobacco sticks; after the strike, the facility ceased operations. The day before, a strike hit the Coca-Cola factory near Kyiv — one of the largest soft-drink production facilities in Europe. In addition, the "Oleina" factory in Dnipro, owned by an American company, also shut down following a Russian attack.
Budgetary consequences
According to Prime Minister Serhiy Haidai's assessment, the state budget may lose approximately 70 billion hryvnia in tax revenues due to Russian attacks. It is noted that this calculation was made two weeks ago, while strikes on enterprises continue, indicating a possible further increase in losses.
