Ukrainian forces have struck a military airfield in Russia, targeting warplanes and glide-bomb facilities used to launch deadly attacks against Ukraine, a security source has revealed.
The source said the operation on Thursday night was part of a “sustained campaign to degrade the Russian Air Force” just as Ukraine has done with Russia’s Black Sea Fleet.
Satellite imagery shared by the source purported to show two SU-34 fighter-bombers at the Morozovsk airbase in southern Russia as well as a white structure before the attack.
A second image is purported to show the aftermath, with both aircraft and the structure destroyed.
There has been no official confirmation about the strikes from Ukraine.
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Russian officials and local media reported a drone attack in the city of Morozovsk, according to the Kyiv Independent news outlet.
‘Mass attack’
It quoted the regional governor as saying Russian air defences faced a “mass attack”, which left some parts of the area without power.
The Ukrainian security source said Ukraine’s “precision strikes” targeted SU-34 jets and “glide-bomb munition facilities” at the airfield.
“The targets were struck to degrade Russia’s ability to conduct airstrikes on [the northeastern region of] Kharkiv,” the source said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
“This will support Ukraine’s campaign to push the Russian ground forces [RGF] back from the temporarily occupied territories.”
The airbase was also hit in April, as reported by Sky News, with SU-34 jets that were being used in glide-bomb attacks being targeted.
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Russian forces use the warplanes to launch strikes on civilian infrastructure, according to the source.
“Additionally, these aircraft are fitted with glide-bomb technology allowing them to release bombs further away from their targets,” they said.
“This strike will impede Russia’s ability to conduct such strikes in the future and allow UAF [Ukrainian armed forces] troops to push back RGF with a reduced threat of air attack.”