Ukrainian UAVs may have hit dozens of Russian Su-34s in Rostov

The Bulgarian Military website has recently published an article that raises questions regarding the authenticity of the Russian Ministry of Defence's claims of successfully destroying a large number of Ukrainian drones. The article delves into the details of the situation, examining the evidence presented by the Russian government and comparing it to other sources. It suggests that the claims made by the Russian Ministry of Defence may be exaggerated or even false.

A recent incident surfaced on the night of April 4t, extending into the 5t, when Ukrainian drones launched an attack on military bases within Russia’s borders. To be specific, these drones are aimed at Russian airfields used by planes conducting airstrikes on Ukrainian territory. Numerous Ukrainian reports have corroborated this event.

This aggressive act was countered by the Russian Ministry of Defense, which stated that the country’s air defences had successfully intercepted all the unmanned aerial vehicles [UAVs] attacking various regions. For instance, one of the drones was caught in the act above the provinces of Saratov, Kursk, and Belgorod. Six more UAVs were intercepted over the territory of Krasnodar.

The most substantial confrontation occurred over the Rostov region, with eyewitness reports validating the interception of 44 drones at once. The regional governor, Vasiliy Golubev, supported these reports by sharing a similar count – “more than 40”. However, it appears that all the drones may not have been intercepted, as Golubev’s statement indicates that a local power facility suffered damage during the attack.

Ukraine produces 50,000 FPV drones per month, Russia 300,000

Reports are surfacing that the Morovsk military airfield, which the Russian Federation primarily utilizes for their Su-34 front-line bombers, has been subject to an attack. This is the very site from which anti-aircraft missiles are launched into Ukraine. These reports are also being substantiated by Ukrainian sources.

Interestingly, numerous Russian activists have turned to social media to vent their frustrations, stating that multiple explosions could be heard during the attack. They further argue that Ukrainian sources recommend avoiding the vicinity of the military airport and related infrastructure altogether.

*Update*
🇷🇺MOROZOVSK AIR BASE🇷🇺
0.5m📷 from today, BEFORE (~11:51 UTC, 4 Apr 2024) the UAV attack on the airfield.

Plenty of targets, let's see what the BDA is tomorrow⬇️

26x Su-34 Fullback
3x Su-30 / 35

Image quality wasn't the best so happy for any corrections. pic.twitter.com/VXzauVBST1

— MT Anderson (@MT_Anderson) April 5, 2024

OSINT analyst @MT_Anderson shared data on social media platform X [formerly known as Twitter], indicating that the Morozovsk airport had around 26 Su-34 units and an additional three Su-30/35 fighters as of April 4th. Upcoming satellite imagery could provide more clarity on the genuine impact of the attacks. Nonetheless, early indications suggest that a significant number of aircraft may have been damaged or destroyed should the strikes have been successful.

The tale of destruction continues as surveillance channels reported explosions in Eysk [located in the Krasnodar Territory] and Engels [located in the Saratov Region] on the night of April 5th. These areas also house enemy airfields. For instance, satellite images published by the monitoring channels indicated that there were eight Tu-95MS bombers, three Tu-160s and two Tu-134UBL/UBK aircraft at the Engels-2 airfield as of March 29th.

Anticipated attacks

We anticipate that Ukrainian drone strikes on airports housing the Russian Federation’s combat planes are on the horizon. Just a short while ago, BulgarianMilitary.com warned of a potential scenario of this nature.

This speculation is based on the fact that Ukraine is in the process of developing, or has already developed, a strike drone known as the Bayraktar-TB2, capable of carrying cruise missiles. Particularly impressive about this drone is its extensive range—it can cover almost 2,000 miles. Because of this, even bases like Murmansk in the Arctic, from where Tu-95 and Tu-160 bombers journey to carry out their missions in Ukraine, could become potential targets.

2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine

On February 21, 2022, Russia stated that its border facility was attacked by Ukrainian forces, resulting in the deaths of five Ukrainian fighters. However, Ukraine quickly dismissed these allegations, labelling them as ‘false flags’.

In a notable move on the same day, Russia announced it officially recognized the self-proclaimed areas of DPR and LPR. According to Russian President Putin, this recognition covered all Ukrainian regions. Following this declaration, Putin sent a battalion of Russia’s military forces, tanks included, into these areas.

Fast forward to February 24, 2022, global headlines were dominated by a significant incident. Putin commanded a forceful military assault on Ukraine. Led by Russia’s impressive Armed Forces positioned at the Ukrainian border, this assault wasn’t spontaneous but a premeditated action. Despite the circumstances resembling a war, the Russian government refrains from using this term. They’d rather refer to it as a “special military operation”.