Why Ukraine strikes Russia’s rubber plants and what Iskander missiles have to do with it
Three Russian chemical plants came under Ukrainian attack between 24 and 26 October 2026: Tolyattikauchuk, Omsk Kauchuk and Voronezhsintezkauchuk. They belong to a chemical industry that supplies materials for Russian weapons production. One important application is solid rocket propellant.
A synthetic rubber factory usually brings tyres and rubber goods to mind. But some of the industry’s products are needed to make missiles. A fire at a chemical plant can therefore cause problems well beyond its gates, including for manufacturers of the missiles Russia uses against Ukraine.
Ukraine’s General Staff explicitly linked the strike on Tolyattikauchuk to the supply of raw materials for Russia’s missile programme. Fire Point, the manufacturer of FP-1 long-range drones, also explained the series of attacks on rubber plants by pointing to their role in rocket propellant production.
How rubber is connected to rocket propellant
Synthetic rubber covers a broad family of materials with different properties. Depending on their composition, they can be used in tyres, seals, protective coatings or specialised industrial products.
In solid rocket propellant, certain polymers act as a binder: they hold the ingredients together in a strong, flexible charge. Some of these materials also contribute to combustion.
The binder’s quality affects the motor’s reliability. The charge must withstand storage, transport and the stresses of flight. The material requirements are therefore much stricter than the everyday word “rubber” might suggest. NASA’s technical publications describe the role of polymers in the strength and reliability of solid propellants.
Industrial scale matters here. A missile factory needs a regular supply of raw materials with consistent properties that it can use in production.
The link to Iskander-M missiles
The 9M723 ballistic missile used by the Iskander-M system has a solid-propellant motor. Ukraine’s Defence Intelligence documents this in its database of Russian weapons components.
Producing a missile of this kind depends on many businesses. Some supply electronics; others provide metal parts, specialised materials and propellant components. Problems at one supplier can delay the next manufacturer.
This explains the military rationale for strikes on the chemical industry. They can disrupt weapons production before a finished missile reaches a depot or launcher.
Which Russian rubber plants came under attack
Overnight into 24 October: Tolyattikauchuk, Samara region. Ukraine’s General Staff confirmed a strike on the plant, an explosion and a fire. The facility produces synthetic rubbers, monomers and petrol additives. The Ukrainian military specifically noted the importance of its products for solid rocket propellant production.
24 October: Omsk Kauchuk, Omsk region. Fire Point confirmed that FP-1 drones struck the plant. The company said the drones travelled more than 2,500 kilometres from Ukraine’s border.
26 October: Voronezhsintezkauchuk, Voronezh. Fire Point confirmed the attack and said the plant’s products are used in solid rocket propellant production. The three attacks took place on different dates: the Omsk and Tolyatti strikes were on 24 October, followed by Voronezh on 26 October.
Demilitarizator has documented the chronology in its report for 24 October and report for 26 October.
The strikes on rubber plants target an industry that supplies materials needed by Russia’s military. Their value to Ukraine lies in making it harder to manufacture the weapons Russia uses to continue the war.