Ukrainian Drones Sweep Across Russia, Military Planes Destroyed, Kyiv Vows to ‘Increase Scale’

Ukrainian drones targeted several regions across Russia overnight, from an airport near the Estonian border to the Crimean Peninsula on the Black Sea.

The most significant strike appears to be at the airport in Pskov. Kremlin media citing emergency services said four Il-76 transport aircraft, the workhorse of the Russian military, were damaged in the attack.

Andriy Yusov, a representative of Ukrainian intelligence (HUR) however, told Kyiv Post the four aircraft had been “destroyed.”

He added: “We do not comment on the [number of drones used], but it will increase.”

Unverified videos posted to social media appeared to support Yusov’s claim that the Russian aircraft had been destroyed rather than damaged.

Some showed a large fire at the site of the facility while others purported to show the burning wreckage of the planes on the runway.

All Wednesday flights at the airport were cancelled, regional governor Mikhail Vedernikov wrote on Telegram, “until the nature of the possible damage to the runway is clarified.”

The Bryansk region was also targeted by UAV attacks. According to Governor Alexander Bogomaz, three drones were intercepted and shot down, resulting in no casualties.

"Baza" reports that following the drone's destruction, a fire broke out on the premises of the "Kremny EL" plant, one of the largest microelectronics manufacturers in Russia.

In 2017, approximately 94% of the company's products were manufactured for the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation.

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The OPCW nevertheless described the situation as "volatile" and "extremely concerning regarding the possible re-emergence of use of toxic chemicals as weapons."

The plant supplies parts for such companies as Almaz-Antey, Aerospace Equipment, etc., producing components for the Pantsir air defence systems and Iskander missile systems.

Elsewhere across Russia, authorities in Bryansk region near the Ukraine border, southern Oryol region and Kaluga and Ryazan regions, southwest and southeast of Moscow, all reported drones had been destroyed or downed.

Air defenses also destroyed a drone “heading for Moscow,” the city’s mayor wrote on Telegram, adding there were no casualties or damage caused, according to initial reports.

Moscow and other Russian regions have been targeted by almost daily drone strikes since Kyiv vowed this summer to “return” the war to Russia as it fights its counteroffensive.

In Ukraine overnight, a Russian missile and drone attack targeting Kyiv killed two people and was described by authorities as “the most powerful” strike on the capital for months.

While Russia has targeted Ukrainian cities with Iranian-made kamikaze drones since October of last year, Ukraine has only relatively recently began striking Russian cities and military installations, using various types of drones.

Over the weekend, evidence emerged that Kyiv may have begun using cardboard drones manufactured in Australia, carrying out an attack with SYPAQ UAVs and crediting their wooden construction and small size for successful penetration of a Russian airfield’s dense air defenses.

Ukraine’s national intelligence agency the SBU on Sunday in comments to Kyiv Post said strike drones launched by its operatives hit the military territory of Kursk regional airport in a nighttime raid, damaging four Su-30 fighter jets, one MiG-29 fighter jet, two Pantsir-S1 close-range air defense systems and a radar from a long-range S-300 surface-to-air missile system.