Satellite Images Show Su-34 Fighter-Bomber Destroyed at Russian Airfield

Ukraine’s Main Military Intelligence Directorate (HUR) reported on August 5 that satellite imagery taken over the weekend confirmed the outcome of an early morning drone attack on the Morozovsk military airfield in Russia's Rostov region on Saturday.

The images verified that a Su-34 (NATO: Fullback) fighter bomber was destroyed and indicated that two other aircraft of the same type likely suffered damage from fragmentation as evidenced by nearby craters caused by explosions. A storage depot that likely held aviation munitions was completely destroyed, with large areas of scorched earth visible on and around the airfield caused by the secondary detonations of the Russian ammunition.

In addition, four technical buildings and two hangars at airfield, located 265 kilometers from the front line, also suffered clearly visible damage.

According to a spokesperson from the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) “The operation was carried out by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) and the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine (HUR) in cooperation with AFU forces.”

Kyiv Post sources in the SBU said that Ukrainian drones had been targeted at the aviation ammunition depot at the Morozovsk airfield, which resulted in multiple detonations and fires.

“Hits were recorded in ammunition depots where, among other thing, guided aerial bombs were stored.”

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Russia has accelerated its advance across eastern Ukraine in recent months, looking to secure as much territory as possible before US President-elect Donald Trump comes to power in January.

Rostov-on-Don, the capital of the region that sits just across the border from Ukraine, hosts the command headquarters for Russia's so-called “special military operation” as well as being home for a large number of military sites.

The Morozovsk airfield, houses numerous Su-34 fighter bombers and plays a vital role in Russia's ongoing military operations in Ukraine. It has been frequently the target of recent Ukrainian drone attacks.

The Russian Defense Ministry said that 75 Ukrainian drones involved in overnight attacks across the Rostov, Kursk, Belgorod, Oryol, Ryazan, and Voronezh regions, as well as the Sea of Azov and Krasnodar Territory had been shot down.

The Atlas plant which includes a fuel depot that stores petroleum products, much of it for the Russian army, also sustained damage from Saturday’s drone attack despite Russia’s claims.