A major explosion followed by a powerful secondary detonation occurred on the night of June 6 at russia's Bryansk Airport, which has been used exclusively for military purposes since the early days of russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Given the nature of the explosion, we are talking about the detonation of solid-fuel missiles: ballistic, anti-aircraft, or rockets for multiple launch systems. Local authorities had previously warned of the danger of drone attacks.
Read more: Ukrainian Forces Strike russia’s Iskander Launchers in Bryansk, Destroy One and Damage Two
The location of the explosions was quickly and accurately identified by OSINT communities. The footage was taken from a relatively short distance—approximately 350 to 400 meters away. The explosion's epicenter was on the platform next to the control tower.
This location is utilized for loading or unloading aircraft or helicopters, rather than for basing air defense systems, launchers, etc. This is also confirmed by an analysis of recent photos showing that the apron has been used exclusively for helicopters.
It remains unclear what exactly exploded, but given that the video shows not only large blasts but also smaller ammunition bursts, it was likely not a single missile detonation, but rather a batch of ammunition.
Given the quantity and weight of the ammunition, it was likely delivered to the airfield by air — either by several Mi-8 helicopters or a single heavy Mi-26. At the same time, The latter could also be used to transport ballistic missiles for the Iskander mobile short-range system or S-400 surface-to-air missiles, which are best delivered by helicopter.
The long-range attack on the night of June 6, during which Ukraine and russia exchanged strikes, began with the destruction of russian transport aircraft in Bryansk, which ended with a spectacular detonation of ammunition. Ukraine also struck a number of russian military targets during the night.
We are talking about a second strike on the Kristall oil depot near Engels, which stores fuel specifically for russian strategic aviation. There is also information about a successful attack on the JSC Progress in the city of Michurin, Tambov Region, which specializes in supplying components for aviation and missile technology. russia, in turn, launched another strike targeting cities, hitting residential buildings in Kyiv, Lutsk, and other cities in Ukraine.
Earlier Defense Express reported that russia had used more than 400 drones as well as more than 40 cruise and ballistic missiles in its night attack against Ukraine.
Read more: Details Emerge of Ukraine’s Strike on russian Iskander System