Ukrainian officials have been accused of orchestrating a significant drone attack on six Russian regions, marking what appears to be the most extensive drone assault on Russian territory since Moscow’s incursion into Ukraine 18 months ago.
Reports indicate that drones struck an airport in the western Pskov region, sparking a massive fire as reported by the governor and local media. Additionally, more drones were intercepted and shot down over the regions of Oryol, Bryansk, Ryazan, Kaluga, and the Moscow vicinity, according to statements from the Defense Ministry.
In the Pskov region, the airport in the capital suffered a direct hit, leading to damage to four Il-76 transport aircraft, stated Russia’s Tass news agency, citing emergency authorities.
To assess the damage in daylight, Pskov’s regional Governor Mikhail Vedernikov ordered the suspension of all flights to and from the airport on Wednesday. Social media posts displayed footage of smoke engulfing the city of Pskov along with a substantial blaze. Vedernikov reassured that there were no casualties and that the fire had been contained. While unverified reports hinted at the possibility of 10 to 20 drones being involved in the attack on the airport, Pskov was the sole region to report damage.
In other regions, downed drones were reported: three in Bryansk, two in Oryol, two in Ryazan, one in Kaluga, and one in the Moscow area, as per officials. However, these incidents did not result in any casualties or harm, despite some residents in the Bryansk region claiming to have heard a loud explosion.
In the early hours of the same day, authorities in Russian-annexed Crimea declared that they had thwarted a drone assault targeting the harbor of Sevastopol. While it remains unclear how many drones were neutralized, Sevastopol’s Moscow-appointed governor, Mikhail Razvozzhayev, confirmed efforts to repel the attack. The extent of any potential damage caused by the attack has not yet been determined.
