Kiev. Ukraine carried out its largest long-range drone attack of the war overnight on four Russian military airfields, a security source in kyiv said, an offensive described as “timely” and “precise” by President Volodymyr Zelensky.
The attack, targeting Russian air bases in Voronezh, Kursk, Savasleyka and Borisoglebsk, was aimed at undermining Moscow’s ability to use warplanes to carry out glide bomb attacks on Ukraine, the source said.
Reuters could not independently verify the claim. Ukraine was still assessing the extent of the damage, the source said.
“Thank you for the precise, timely and effective strikes against Russian airfields. Ukrainian drones are working exactly as they should,” Zelensky said in comments to his military on Wednesday.
The Russian Defense Ministry said earlier that its air defenses had destroyed 117 drones and four tactical missiles launched by Ukraine against several regions, including Kursk.
The airfield attack comes as Ukrainian troops attempt to advance into Russia’s Kursk region after launching a surprise operation that has yielded their biggest battlefield gains since 2022.
Since last week’s raid, Russian forces have reduced the number of guided bomb attacks on border settlements in Ukraine’s northeastern Kharkiv region, the local governor said Monday.
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– 2024-08-17 23:20:57
