bolstered by its links to Ukraine's former President Leonid Kuchma, who worked at Pivdenmash between 1975 and 1992. He was the plant's general manager from 1986 to 1991. In February 2015, following a year of strained relations, Russia announced that it would sever its "joint program with Ukraine to launch Dnepr rockets and [was] no longer interested in buying Ukrainian Zenit boosters, deepening problems for [Ukraine's] space program and its struggling Pivdenmash factory". With the loss of Russian business some thought that the only hope for the company was increased international business which seemed unlikely in the time frame available. Bankruptcy seemed certain as of February 2015, but was averted. In July 2022, during the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Pivdenmash facility in Dnipro was struck by a Russian long-range cruise missile attack. The plant was targetted again during the October–November 2022 nationwide missile strikes on Ukraine on 17 November 2022. Today On 14 August 2017, the Institute of International Strategic Studies issued a report presenting evidence that "North Korea has acquired a high-performance liquid-propellant engine from illicit networks in Russia and Ukraine", likely produced by Pivdenmash facilities. Both the company and the Ukrainian government denied the allegation. An Antares launch vehicle using a Pivdenmash core was launched from Wallops Island in October 2016 to deliver supplies to the ISS. A Zenit launch vehicle was launched in December 2017, after a two-year hiatus, to deliver AngoSat 1. In February–March 2018, Pivdenmash announced plans to develop a testing platform for Hyperloop that was scheduled for completion in 2019 in Dnipro. In September 2019, the (new) Minister of Infrastructure of Ukraine, Vladyslav Krykliy, cancelled this (according to him "absurd") project. Structure Factory of missile and aviation aggregates (created in 2010 through organization) Pavlohrad Mechanical Factory (located in Pavlohrad) Dnipro Tractor Factory Factory of Technological Equipment Production Complex "Metalurhiya" Production Complex "Pivdenmashenergo" Construction and Installation Complex Sports Complex Meteor Social and domestic administration Sanatoriums "Dubrava" (Bila Tserkva) and "Druzhba" (Alushta), Hotel Pivdennyi, Mashynobudivnykiv Palace of Culture Airline Pivdenmashavia Military and space industry Pivdenmash is known for its military and space industry products, and earned the city of Dnipro the nickname of "Rocket City". Missiles The company had been the key missile producer for Soviet ICBM and space exploration programs. Historic and Pivdenmash launch systems included: the R-5 Pobeda – the Soviet Union's first nuclear armed missile the R-12 Dvina theatre ballistic missile