30 August 2023

Ukraine conflict: Ukrainian UAV attacks on Russian airbases destroy airlifters, bombers

by Gareth Jennings

A screenshot from a video taken on 29 August, showing a Russian Il-76 ‘Candid' airlifter burning after a Ukrainian UAV attack on Pskov Air Base. (Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation)

Ukrainian attacks on Russian airbases over recent weeks have claimed a number of damaged and destroyed aircraft, including most recently a number of airlifters and bombers.

Footage posted online on 29 August showed a burning Ilyushin Il-76 ‘Candid' strategic transport aircraft at Pskov Air Base, about 850 km north of Kyiv and 40 km east of the Russian border with Estonia.

Unconfirmed reports say that a further four such aircraft from the 334th Military Transport Aviation Regiment had been hit in the attack by unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), as well as one Tupolev Tu-22M ‘Backfire' bomber that was temporarily located there.

Further to the attack on Pskov Air Base, at the same time military and industrial facilities were recorded as being struck at other locations in western Russia.

The attacks of 29 August came days after Shaykovka and Soltsy-2 airbases were attacked by Ukrainian UAVs, destroying at least one Tu-22M from the 52nd Guards Heavy Bomber Regiment.

These events represent the largest Ukrainian assault on Russian soil since the war was launched in February 2022.

Ukrainian attacks on Russian airbases over recent weeks have claimed a number of damaged and destroy...

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