Ukraine Drone Attack Deep Inside Russia Damages Parked Warplane

For the first time in a year-and-a-half of war, Ukraine has launched an attack on a military airfield deep inside Russia located in the northwestern Novgorod region.

What is being dubbed a 'terrorist attack' by Russian authorities was reportedly thwarted on Saturday. "Today, at around 10:00 am Moscow time, the Kyiv regime carried out a terrorist attack using a copter-type drone on a military airfield in the Novgorod region," the Russian Defense Ministry (MoD) said. But it also admitted damage on the ground.

The MoD further described that the attacking drone was shot down by "by small arms" — but noted that at least one Russian warplane was damaged. The airfield is remote, and near the town of Soltsy between Moscow and St. Petersberg.

"As a result of the terrorist attack on the territory of the airfield, a fire broke out in the parking lot of aircraft, which was quickly eliminated by fire fighters. One aircraft was damaged," the MoD statement continued. Eyewitnesses described a plume of smoke rising from the base in the aftermath of the attack.

Ukraine may have been seeking to degrade Russia's fleet of long-range bombers in targeting the base, as Newsweek explains:

Strategic Russian Tu-22M3 bombers carrying X-22 missiles are believed to be based at the airfield. Russia deployed the Tupolev Tu-22M3 during its bombing of the Donetsk city of Mariupol in 2022.

...However, the Telegram channel Ateo Breaking said that two aircraft rather than one had been damaged. Images shared on social media, taken some distance from the air base, show smoke billowing into the air from behind buildings.

Monitoring groups have said there were about 10 Tu-22M3 units at the airfield, which is located over 410 miles from the border of Ukraine. Newsweek has contacted the Ukrainian defense ministry for comment.

Russia's clear air superiority has been devastating for the Ukrainian side. President Zelensky and his officials have begged Western allies to help tip the scales by quickly supplying F-16s, but these won't be operational until next year, possibly by summer 2024.

Meanwhile, Russia again bombarded the northern city of Chernihiv on Saturday, with BBC citing official Ukraine government statements to report, "Seven people, including a six-year-old child, were killed when a Russian missile struck a theatre in the northern Ukrainian city of Chernihiv, officials say."

"Fifteen children were among 129 people wounded, the interior ministry said. At least 25 people were in hospital," the report continued. The acting mayor of the city, Oleksandr Lomako, said he believed Russia was targeting a military event, but that the area was teeming with civilians.

"The theatre was hosting a gathering of drone manufacturers, the acting mayor of Chernihiv told the BBC."

Lomako said, "I understand that their aim was a military event taking place in the building of the drama theatre and that it was their target."