Ukrainian drone strike hits Russian military base, fuel tanks targeted
The Millerovo military airport, located near Rostov-on-Don, was targeted by Ukrainians during the night of July 19-20. The Russians claim to have shot down 26 Ukrainian drones. However, some of the launched weapons hit the facility, and the effects of the shelling can be seen in the latest satellite images.
1:56 PM EDT, July 21, 2024
As the Ukrainian agency Unian reported, the defenders' army sent a swarm of drones toward the Russian Millerovo airport—at least several dozen machines. Although some of the drones were shot down by Russian air defenses, a few managed to breach the Russian Federation's anti-drone shield and strike a valuable military target for the aggressor.
Initially, it was unclear what losses the Russians incurred due to the Ukrainian strike. Since Millerovo is the base of the 31st Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment of the Russian Federation, equipped with Su-30SM aircraft, initial suspicions were directed toward these units—especially since residents noted several explosions at the airport.
Ukrainians did not destroy aircraft
In response to suspicions related to the alleged loss of valuable aircraft for the Russians, Russian Radio Svoboda published a satellite map showing the effects of the Ukrainian strike on the Millerovo base. Radio Svoboda's communication informs that three fire centers are visible in the satellite photo taken after the strike. One is located in the hangar of the technical-operational part, the second is in an open area, and the third is where one of the fuel and lubricant warehouses is located. The space photo confirms the statements from Russian sources that the aircraft was not damaged during the drone attack.
According to materials published by the Russian source, the Ukrainians did not manage to destroy the opponent's aircraft. This aligns with suspicions noted by Przemysław Juraszek, a journalist from Wirtualna Polska. He indicated that over time, the Russians had perfected the process of evacuating planes upon detecting a threat from approaching drones.
Therefore, it cannot be ruled out that the only damaged machines might have been those in the hangar, which were immobilized for some reason. It is also possible that the strike only affected equipment used for repairing and servicing the Su-30SMs in service.
Another strike on fuel tanks
It is worth emphasizing that the Ukrainian strike on Russian fuel tanks should be considered a success. Let's recall that a similar shelling occurred in May of this year when the defenders' army attacked the airport in Belbek near Sevastopol, destroying fuel tanks and thereby grounding some of the aircraft.
The aforementioned Su-30SMs, which could have been stationed at the Millerovo base, are among the best machines currently serving the Russian Federation. They are an advancement of the older Su-27 and are multi-role machines. This means they can conduct both air superiority operations and land strikes.
