Ukrainian drones attacked a remote Russian air base in the Arctic, destroying at least one strategic bomber, it reported.
Ukrainian media reported that the attack on the Olenya airfield in the Murmansk region was carried out by a supersonic Tupolev Tu-22M3 long-range missile bomber, capable of firing AS-4 heavy anti-ship missiles or Kh cruise missiles. -22.
Ukraine shot down a Tu-22M3 for the first time on April 19, according to the Ukraine Air Force, after the plane crashed in Russian Stavropol Krai after Russia introduced an attack in Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk region.
A Ukrainian military intelligence source told the Kyiv Independent newspaper that she was responsible for Saturday’s attack, without specifying whether other planes were hit.
Newsweek has reached out to the Russian and Ukrainian ministries for comment.
The Olenya airfield is more than 2,000 miles from the Ukraine border and just 200 miles from Finland, which angered Moscow when it joined NATO in 2023.
In May, the Barents Observer reported that satellite photographs showed how Russia deployed two Tu-160 and 14 Tu-95 strategic bombers, capable of carrying traditional and nuclear cruise missiles, at the airfield.
Ukrainian drones attacked a Russian TU-22M3 strategic bomber in Olenya. 1800 km from the border! https://t. co/fj6cCv7sgW pic. twitter. com/A2hYgXrjoF
Pro-Ukrainian X users boasted about reports about Saturday’s strike, which have been independently confirmed. “Ukrainian drones attacked a Russian TU-22M3 strategic bomber in Olenya. 1,800 kilometers from the border!” posted Jürgen Nauditt in X next to a map showing the distance between the airfield and Ukraine.
kyiv’s independent intelligence source also spoke of other movements at airfields on Russian territory.
These included an attack on the Dyagilevo airfield in the Ryazan region, about 160 km southeast of Moscow, which also hosts Tu-95MS, Tu-22M3, Tu-134UBL and Ilyushin Il-78 aircraft, as a repair plant for those aircraft.
Social media users reported explosions, but Russia’s Defense Ministry said its air defenses shot down drones over Ryazan, as well as four other Russian regions bordering Ukraine.
Ukraine is prohibited from firing Western-supplied long-range weapons into Russian territory, fearing that kyiv’s allies could simply escalate the war. However, Ukraine launches drones into Russian territory to attack military and proxy targets, occasionally without directly claiming responsibility.
On the other hand, the Kyiv Independent reported that three helicopters were involved in sabotage operations coordinated through the Ukrainian army intelligence company (GUR) last week.
A told the outlet that Ukraine sabotaged Mi-28 and Ka-226 helicopters on July 21 at the Moscow-based National Helicopter Manufacturing Center, where explosions occurred at the site.
The Russian government concealed the main points of the incident, according to the source, who added that the Ukrainian operation destroyed an Mi-8 helicopter on July 24 at the Samara Kryazh military airfield in the Samara region, 500 miles from the border.
Brendan Cole is a senior reporter for Newsweek in London, United Kingdom. It focuses on Russia and Ukraine, specifically on the war unleashed through Moscow. It also covers other areas of geopolitics, adding China.
Brendan joined Newsweek in 2018 from International Business Times and, in addition to English, studies Russian and French.
You can contact Brendan by emailing b. cole@newsweek. com or following him on his X account @brendanmarkcole.
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