Ukraine Launches Drone Attack on Russian Airbase, Claims Destruction of Six Planes
In a daring move, Ukraine has carried out a drone attack on targets in southern Russia, specifically targeting an airbase in the Rostov region. According to reports, Ukrainian forces claim to have destroyed six Russian planes at the Morozovsk airbase, with eight more aircraft badly damaged and up to 20 service personnel potentially killed or injured.
The Morozovsk base is known to house Su-27 and Su-34 aircraft that are used on the front line in Ukraine, making it a strategic target for Ukrainian forces. While there has been no official response from Russia regarding the attack, Russian officials have confirmed that more than 40 drones were aimed at the region, bordering Ukraine.
BBC Russian military analyst Pavel Aksyonov suggested that the sheer number of drones used in the attack may have overwhelmed Russian air defenses, leading to the successful strike on the airbase. The Russian defense ministry reported that all the drones were eventually shot down, but not before causing some damage to the region.
In addition to the airbase attack, Ukraine has also targeted a drone factory and an oil refinery in Russia, marking the deepest incursion into Russian territory since the start of the conflict. The strikes resulted in twelve reported injuries, further escalating tensions between the two neighboring countries. Ukraine has been ramping up its drone attacks on Russian targets in recent weeks, citing ammunition shortages and a push to produce a million drones domestically this year.