A source within the Ukrainian Defense told AFP that the security services (SBU) and the Kiev army carried out a “special operation” against the Morozovsk airfield in the night from Thursday to Friday. this region bordering Ukraine. “At least six Russian military planes were destroyed and eight others were considerably damaged,” said this source familiar with the attack.
Russia, for its part, has not reported such a strike on its territory, but its Defense Ministry had earlier in the day reported one of the largest Ukrainian drone attacks, carried out on several regions, including that of Rostov, during the night and in the morning. In total, 53 Ukrainian drones were “destroyed”, including 44 over the Rostov region, the Russian ministry assured.
No victims
According to the Ukrainian source, the Morozovsk base in Russia notably houses bombers used to strike positions of the Kiev army and Ukrainian towns located near the front line. She did not specify with what means this operation was carried out, but its “important” results will “considerably reduce the potential” of the Russian Air Force, she maintained.
Ukraine, facing the Russian invasion for more than two years, has promised to bring the fighting to Russian soil in retaliation for the numerous deadly bombings on its territory. Its army has thus increased attacks in Russia in recent months using drones, but also missiles, particularly targeting military or energy sites such as refineries, sometimes several hundred kilometers from the border. In Ukraine, the air force for its part claimed to have “destroyed” the 13 explosive drones launched by Russia during the night.
The Ukrainian nighttime attack “damaged” an electrical substation, the governor of the Russian region of Rostov, Vassily Goloubev, admitted on Telegram, who mentioned “the Morozovsk district”, without mentioning its military airfield. “No person was injured” but “around 600 residents” were deprived of electricity in the morning, he only specified. The city of Rostov-on-Don, capital of the eponymous region, also houses the headquarters of Russian troops engaged in Ukraine.
Russian push towards Chassiv Yar
If Ukraine attacks certain Russian regions with the aim of disrupting the logistical lines of Moscow’s army, its soldiers also target the regions occupied by its neighbor, i.e. nearly 20% of its territory. On Friday, a Ukrainian strike left five injured, including two “in serious condition”, in the Kherson region (southern Ukraine), according to regional authorities installed by Moscow. Regularly targeted by Russian strikes in recent weeks, the Ukrainian region of Kharkiv (north-east) has once again suffered volleys of gunfire, in “around 15 localities”, according to regional authorities.
In recent weeks, the Russians have increased strikes in this area, causing several casualties and causing major power outages. In the Donbass (east), the epicenter of the fighting, the occupation authorities installed by Moscow have affirmed that the Russian army is progressing little by little towards Chassiv Iar, west of Bakhmout.
The Telegram channel DeepState, close to the Ukrainian army and followed by nearly 690,000 people, indicated on Friday that the Russians had “penetrated houses” in the eastern outskirts of this devastated city. Asked by AFP about this possible Russian push, Ukrainian officials did not wish to comment immediately. Chasiv Yar, located on an elevation, is less than 30 kilometers southeast of Kramatorsk, the main city in the Ukrainian-controlled region, and is an important railway and logistics hub for the Ukrainian army.