-
Ukraine said it used drones to attack a Russian military airfield overnight.
-
Russia stored glide bombs and the fighter-bomber aircraft that launch them at the airfield.
-
The attack marks Ukraine’s latest deep strike as it targets key Russian military bases.
Ukrainian forces used long-range drones overnight to strike a Russian base where fighter-bomber aircraft and their highly destructive glide bombs are stored.
A source in the Security Service of Ukraine told Business Insider on Thursday that the attack targeted the Borisoglebsk military airfield in Russia’s Voronezh region. The source spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive operations.
The SBU source said the drones struck several sites at the airfield, including warehouses where glide bombs were kept, aviation fuel storage facilities, and Su-35 and Su-34 parking areas. They said Russia actively uses the base to carry out bombing missions on Ukrainian territory.
The Su-34s specifically have been a problem for Ukraine. Russia arms these fighter-bombers with its glide bombs, weapons that are nearly impossible to intercept and are used to wreak havoc on Ukrainian civilians and troop positions. Kyiv has made efforts to reduce this threat by going after the aircraft and the bombs at their bases.
It is unclear whether any aircraft were struck or damaged in the Ukrainian attack.
“The SBU continues to take active measures to reduce the enemy’s ability to terrorize peaceful Ukrainian cities with fighter jets” with glide bombs,” the source said, per a translation of their remarks shared with BI.
“The demilitarization of Russian military airfields will continue because the enemy should not feel at ease even on its own territory,” the source added.
The attack overnight marks the latest long-range Ukrainian strike on a key military installation deep inside Russia. Kyiv has targeted Russian aircraft, missiles, glide bombs, and other high-profile weaponry throughout this monthslong campaign.
In September, Ukraine struck several Russian ammunition depots in a string of drone attacks, causing extensive damage across multiple sites. Russia’s air defenses have been unable to defend against Kyiv’s deep strikes consistently.
Ukraine has relied heavily on domestically produced attack drones to carry out these deep-strike operations because it is restricted from using its arsenal of powerful, Western-provided missiles to hit military targets inside Russia.
Ukrainian officials have long pushed their counterparts in the West to drop these restrictions, arguing that the limitations are interfering with Kyiv’s ability to fight Russia effectively.
Read the original article on Business Insider
