A successful drone strike against a Russian bomber miles away from Ukraine was likely to have come from inside Russia, the UK Defence Ministry has reported.
The attack targeted Putin’s Tu-22M3 bomber in Novgorod Oblast, which is situated far away from the Ukrainian front line.
The blast suggests that some attacks against Russian targets have been launched on Russian soil.
The UK Defence Ministry said this morning that the recent offensives “adds weight to the assessment” that some Ukrainian counterattacks are being initiated within Russia.
The UK Defence Ministry said the repeated triumphant attacks have raised questions about Russia’s ability to protect its strategic locations
Reuters
On 19 August, a Tu-22M3 medium bomber was destroyed at Soltsky-2 Airbase in Russia.
The site where the bomber was obliterated is located 650km away from the Ukrainian border.
The Russian Defence Ministry has stated that an uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV) – also known as a drone – was responsible for the attack.
“Copter UAVs are unlikely to have the range to reach Soltsky-2 Airbase in Russia,” said the UK Defence Ministry, suggesting that the drones were launched in Russian territory.
Russia has repeatedly used Tu-22M3 – known as backfire bombers – in attacks against Ukraine.
The AS-4 KITCHEN heavy anti-ship missiles are then launched through the bombers in strikes against the country.
The missiles have been noted as being notoriously inaccurate.
Russia also used a number of unguided bombs when sieging Mariupol at the beginning of the war.
The drone strike from Ukraine is now the third successful attack on Russia’s Long Range Aviation fields.
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Russia has repeatedly used Tu-22M3 bombers in its attacks against Ukraine.
Reuters
The UK Defence Ministry said the repeated triumphant attacks have raised questions about Russia’s ability to protect its strategic locations.
Ukraine is also having success on foot, stepping up its counter-offensive efforts and reclaiming a strategically important location.
Kyiv seized the village of Robotyne, as part of their efforts to strike Russia’s defensive lines.
The Ukrainians say they are close to taking the village, just a week after the country liberated Urozhaine, a Ukrainian village previously held by the Russians.
The Institute for the Study of War said that Ukraine’s recent successes could send Moscow into a panic which would “quickly intensify and spread among Russian front-line units”.
