In the early hours of 9 August, Ukraine’s defense forces successfully struck a military airfield in Russia’s Lipetsk Oblast. The attack resulted in detonations at ammunition depots, as reported by the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and Liga’s source in Ukraine’s security and defense forces. The airfield is located about 290 km from Ukraine’s border.
According to the source, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) in cooperation with the Armed Forces of Ukraine targeted the “Lipetsk-2” military airfield, which housed dozens of fighter jets, helicopters, and warehouses containing over 700 guided bombs. Russian sources claimed that aircraft successfully evacuated prior to or during the attack, although Liga’s source claimed that most aircraft at the military airfield reportedly failed to take off in time, the source added.
NASA FIRMS data confirm multiple thermal anomalies across the aviation ordnance depots at Lipetsk base, indicating targeted attacks on aircraft weapons rather than the aircraft themselves.
Lipetsk air base, Russia, 9 August 2024.
The strike by Ukrainian drones reportedly caused a powerful explosion, leading to chain detonations and a large-scale fire across the facility. Local authorities confirmed the detonations and announced the evacuation of residents from nearby settlements.
The General Staff confirmed the strike on the military airfield in Lipetsk, stating:
“Several ignition sources were recorded, a strong fire broke out, and multiple detonations were observed. It is known that Su-34, Su-35, and MiG-31 aircraft of the Russian Aerospace Forces are based at the Lipetsk airfield. The results of the strike are being clarified.”
Additionally, the General Staff reported that overnight, defense forces struck Russian anti-aircraft missile divisions in the temporarily occupied territory of Donetsk Oblast. The operation reportedly targeted three enemy radars: two from S-350 air defense systems and one from an S-300 system. The destruction of one S-350 air defense system radar was confirmed, with information on the other two targets still being clarified. The cessation of operation of all three enemy radars after the strikes was recorded, the General Staff says.
Ukrainian drones took down another Russian air base's warehouses
— Euromaidan Press (@EuromaidanPress) August 9, 2024
Last night's videos show massive explosions at Lipetsk airfield, with NASA FIRMS data pinpointing the subsequent fires to the base's aviation ordnance depots
(https://t.co/tqLumPVbTV).
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Recently, Ukraine destroyed a bomb warehouse at Morozovsk air base in Russia’s Rostov Oblast, an artillery ammunition depot in Voronezh Oblast, and damaged more ammunition storage facilities near Kursk.
Related:
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- Russia’s submarine dilemma amid Ukraine’s strikes: Repair and risk, or decay and sink
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