Forbes reports on this.
Ukrainian drones, on the night of August 3, targeted the Morozovsk airbase in southern russia, 200 miles from the front line in eastern Ukraine.
Read more: Destroyed Ammo Depot at Morozovsk Airfield Highlights Secrecy of Ukrainian Drone Equipment
According to the Ukrainian Intelligence Directorate, the drones raid destroyed a russian Air Force Sukhoi Su-34 fighter-bomber, damaged two additional Su-34s, and burned down an ammunition warehouse.
The directorate published satellite imagery of the base depicting what it described as “extensive areas of scorched earth” resulting from the ammo cooking off in the aftermath of the attack.
This isn’t the first attack on Morozovsk, but it is one of the most destructive. Similar raids are getting harder to pull off as the russians redeploy their warplanes to less vulnerable bases.
Forbes explains that by attacking airbases, including Morozovsk, Ukrainian forces are trying to halt the russian campaign of bombing Ukraine with KABs.
Specifically, the publication states that at the beginning of this summer, Ukrainian forces had the opportunity to deliver a significant blow to the infrastructure supporting these bombing operations against Ukraine.
"There was a rare opportunity to deliver a major blow against the KAB infrastructure earlier this summer, when the russian air force’s 47th Guards Bomber Aviation Regiment parked dozens of Su-34s—out of roughly 100 in service—in open at Voronezh Malshevo air base in southern russia 100 miles from the border with Ukraine.
Voronezh Malshevo is a reasonably well-defended base, so the Ukrainians pleaded for permission to fire their best American-made Army Tactical Missile System rockets at the base. The ATACMs are almost impossible to intercept."
The publication states that The russians observed the heated diplomacy regarding ATACMS—and made a rare proactive decision to pull the Su-34s from Voronezh Malshevo and other border airfields.
“Between the second half of June and mid-July, russian forces relocated a lion’s [share] of valuable military assets away from the border area with Ukraine,” Frontelligence Insight noted. The departure of Su-34s from Voronezh Malshevo was among “the most notable movements.”
"Today, many of the Su-34s are at bases hundreds of miles from the border. They’re not invulnerable to Ukrainian drones—the farthest-flying models range more than 1,000 miles.
But they are safe from most Ukrainian drones, as well as from the ATACMS, the most powerful of which range just 190 miles. If the White House ever grants permission for ATACMS raids on russian bases, it might be too late. The most valuable targets may be too far away.
Obviously, a handful of Su-34s—as well as some stocks of KAB bombs—remain at border airfields such as Morozovsk.
But to end the glide-bombing campaign, Ukraine needs to destroy scores of Su-34s—not one or several. And smarter russian deployments are making that harder to achieve," Forbes reports.
Read more: Ukrainian UAVs Destroyed Key Assets at the Morozovsk Airfield, Including the Su-34 Fighter Jet and an Ammunition Depot
