Ukraine conducted a large-scale drone swarm attack on a military base inside Russia, but Moscow’s air defense appeared to have downed the UAVs. As Ukrainian forces continue to lose territory across a vast frontline, Kiev has increasingly resorted to attacks on Russian soil.
On Friday, Ukraine launched about 50 drones at an airbase in southern Russia, one of its most significant air assaults to date. Though officials in Kiev claimed several UAVs hit their mark and left some 14 aircraft damaged or destroyed, the Kremlin denied the losses and said its air defenses repulsed the attack.
Satellite imagery from before and after the operation showed no signs of damage to aircraft or the Morozovsk base, suggesting Russia was able to shoot down most of the incoming drones.
Late last year, Western officials told NBC News that Kiev was likely to step up strikes on Russia in 2024 as the battle inside Ukraine ground to a stalemate. However, Moscow’s troops have scored a major breakthrough this year and have steadily advanced westward.
In response, Kiev has conducted multiple air attacks on Russian military and economic targets and launched several cross-border raids. Some of those actions have been carried out with the help neo-Nazi militias composed of Russian dissidents aligned with Ukraine.
Washington has warned Kiev that strikes on Russian energy infrastructure are problematic, as the White House airs concerns over rising gas prices during an election year. Additionally, US officials cautioned that targeting Russian energy facilities would lead to reprisals against civilian infrastructure in Ukraine. In the past month, Moscow has conducted some of its largest missile barrages on Ukrainian cities since the war broke out in early 2022.
