Russia reports more drone attacks as satellite photos indicate earlier barrage destroyed 2 aircraft

Russian President Vladimir Putin is set to hold discussions with Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the resort town of Sochi on Monday, as confirmed by Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov on Friday. This development comes after a period of speculation regarding the timing and location of the anticipated meeting between the two leaders. Earlier this week, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov engaged in talks with his Turkish counterpart in Moscow.

This is a breaking news update. The previous story by AP is provided below.

Russian authorities announced on Friday that their air defense systems successfully intercepted drones that were headed towards three of the country’s western regions. Concurrently, satellite imagery has indicated that a significant drone barrage conducted earlier in the week resulted in the destruction of at least two Ilyushin Il-76 military transport planes stationed at a Russian air base.

Regional governors have disclosed that the defense mechanisms were able to thwart the progress of three drones in the Kursk, Belgorod, and Moscow regions. Although Moscow’s airports experienced a brief suspension of flight operations, no significant harm or casualties were reported, as stated by Russian officials.

These drone attacks—attributed by Moscow to Ukraine—have become an almost daily occurrence amid the ongoing war, which has now extended into its 19th month, with Kyiv’s forces engaged in a counteroffensive. Notably, these drone incidents have managed to reach deeper into Russian territory.

Kyiv authorities generally refrain from claiming or disavowing responsibility for attacks that target Russian soil. The underlying strategy appears to involve unsettling Russia while exerting pressure on President Vladimir Putin.

As of now, it remains unclear whether the launched drones originate from within Ukraine or are launched from within Russian borders. In parallel, analysis of satellite images conducted by AP reveals that suspected Ukrainian drone attacks late on Tuesday led to the destruction of at least two Ilyushin Il-76 military transport planes stationed at a Russian air base.

The imagery captured on Thursday depicts the Princess Olga Pskov International Airport—a dual-purpose military-civilian airport situated approximately 700 kilometers (400 miles) north of the Ukrainian border, in close proximity to Estonia and Latvia.

The four-engine Il-76 aircraft stands as a cornerstone of the Russian military’s airlift capacity, equipped to handle takeoffs and landings in challenging terrains. It is estimated that the Russian military maintains a fleet of over 100 such aircraft.

The AP analysis conducted on Friday highlights what appears to be the charred remnants of two Il-76s on separate parking pads within the air base’s apron. One of these fragments includes the aircraft’s tail section, while the other showcases components of another aircraft, with evident signs of fire damage in the vicinity.

Subsequently, eleven other Il-76s were repositioned from their original parking pads to various positions on the airport’s taxiways, presumably in a bid to reduce their vulnerability to future strikes. One of these aircraft was positioned on the runway itself, while another remained on its original pad, though the rationale behind this choice remains unclear.

Local reports indicate that Ukrainian drone attacks inflicted damage on four Il-76s stationed at the air base.

The satellite image, captured at 1303 GMT on Thursday, serves as a snapshot of the situation. Social media videos from Thursday night depicted anti-aircraft fire surrounding the air base, though it remains uncertain whether this marked another attack.

The Pskov air base was initially targeted on Tuesday night, although cloud cover hindered the ability of satellites to capture an unobstructed view.

On Thursday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that his country had developed a weapon capable of striking targets situated 700 kilometers (400 miles) away, ostensibly referring to the attack on the air base. Zelenskyy attributed the development of this weapon to Ukraine’s Ministry of Strategic Industries, but refrained from providing further specifics.

Over the past year, the Kremlin’s forces have directed numerous waves of drone attacks, utilizing Iranian-made exploding drones, towards Ukraine in the context of the ongoing conflict.

Contributions to this report were made by Jon Gambrell, a writer for Big Big News, based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

Stay updated on the Ukraine conflict through AP’s coverage at https://bigbignews.net/russia-ukraine

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Ukraine Conflict Drone Attacks

More about Ukraine Conflict Drone Attacks

• Russia-Ukraine Conflict: AP’s Coverage
• Russian President Vladimir Putin
• Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan
• Ilyushin Il-76 Military Transport Plane
• Ukraine Ministry of Strategic Industries
• Geopolitical Tensions in Eastern Europe