Kyiv bombards Russian air base 400 miles from the border

Kyiv bombards Russian air base 400 miles from the border

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Ukraine has launched a long-range attack against three Russian air bases, including one 400 miles from the border, in Kyiv’s largest drone strike since the beginning of the war.

On Wednesday morning, the Russian defence ministry claimed it had downed 117 drones launched at military targets across the country.

Moscow did not comment on the strikes, but local social media channels reported the sound of explosions near the three airfields.

Fighter Bomber, a Russian military blogger with links to the country’s air force, wrote on Telegram that the Ukrainian attacks had been “effective on some, unfortunately”.

Locals reported at least 10 explosions around the Savasleyka airfield, in Russia’s Nizhny Novgorod region, about 400 miles from the border with Ukraine.

The base is home to MiG-31 fighter jets, known to be used in hypersonic Kinzhal missile attacks on Ukrainian cities.

Footage of the attack appeared to show drones in the sky over the Kulebaksky district near the military base.

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At least one drone can be seen hurtling towards the ground in a nose-dive before disappearing behind a tree line, which then glows orange after a presumed explosion.

At the time of the attack, about 7am local time, Gleb Nikitin, Nizhny Novgorod’s regional governor, said: “Air defence and electronic warfare systems are working to suppress an attack by unmanned aircraft-type aerial vehicles.”

There were no reported casualties.

Bases believed to house jets that drop glide bombs

In the early hours of Wednesday, Alexander Gusev, the governor of Russia’s Voronezh region, wrote on social media that the area was under attack by almost 40 Ukrainian drones.

Russian Telegram channels reported a fire on the outskirts of the city of Voronezh, where residents suggested the Baltimore military airfield had been hit, more than 100 miles from the front lines in Ukraine.

Footage emerged online of what appeared to be the raging fire, while other videos captured the sounds of explosions.

A football match scheduled to be played on Sunday in Voronezh between local side FC Fakel and Spartak Moscow was moved to the Russian capital, the Russian Premier League said on Telegram.

Drones were also spotted in the skies over Borisoglebsk, about 120 miles to the east, where a flight school and another airfield are located.

The air bases in Voronezh and Borisoglebsk are believed to host fighter jets that Russia uses to drop glide bombs, one of the most damaging weapons used against Ukrainian forces.

Kyiv has repeatedly targeted Russian air bases with its long-range drone attacks. Last week, the SBU security services hit the Lipetsk airfield, where Ukrainian officials said 700 glide bombs had been damaged or destroyed.

A satellite image shows part of the Lipetsk military air base after Ukraine said it hit the area on Aug 9

A satellite image shows part of the Lipetsk military air base after Ukraine said it hit the area on Aug 9 – Planet Labs Inc via REUTERS

Russia’s air force has been dropping dozens of the munitions on Ukraine’s Sumy region, where the Kursk offensive was launched from. It has also reportedly dropped the munitions on troops advancing inside Kursk.

Moscow rarely discloses the full extent of damage against military targets, while Kyiv will wait for satellite images to confirm any successes.

Ukrainian forces have not launched a drone strike of this magnitude since May, when the Kremlin claimed to have downed 102 incoming Ukrainian UAVs.

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