KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukraine announced that it successfully struck a Russian airbase on Saturday, while Russia intensified its drone assaults on Ukrainian territory as part of an escalated bombing campaign. This increase in military activity has further diminished hopes of reaching a resolution to the ongoing war, which has now persisted for over three years.
The Ukrainian military's General Staff revealed that Ukrainian forces targeted and damaged the Borisoglebsk airbase located in Russia's Voronezh region. This airbase is identified as the "home base" for Russia's Su-34, Su-35S, and Su-30SM fighter jets. In a statement on Facebook, the General Staff noted that the attack resulted in the destruction of a depot containing glide bombs, a training aircraft, and potentially other aircraft.
There was no immediate response from Russian officials regarding the attack. Ukraine's operations targeting Russian airbases are designed to degrade Russia's military capabilities and showcase Ukraine's ability to hit high-value targets within Russian territory. Notably, last month, Ukraine claimed to have destroyed over 40 Russian aircraft stationed at various airfields deep in Russia during a surprise drone strike.
Overnight into Saturday, Russia launched a significant number of drones and decoys into Ukraine, with the Ukrainian air force reporting that 322 drones were deployed. Out of these, 157 were intercepted, while an additional 135 were presumed lost due to electronic jamming. The primary objective of the drone attacks was the western Khmelnytskyi region, although local officials, including Regional Governor Serhii Tyurin, reported no damage, injuries, or fatalities from the assault.
In a separate development, Russia has intensified its long-range strikes against Ukraine. This follows a series of drone and missile attacks targeting Kyiv overnight into Friday, marking the largest aerial offensive since the beginning of Russia's invasion. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko reported an increase in casualties from these assaults, confirming two fatalities and 26 injuries.
This wave of attacks coincides with a recent phone conversation between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and U.S. President Donald Trump, which Zelenskyy described as "very important and productive." The dialogue included discussions on bolstering Ukraine's air defenses and the potential for joint weapons production between the United States and Ukraine. Additionally, they addressed broader U.S.-led efforts aimed at resolving the conflict with Russia.
When asked for his opinion on the prospects for peace, Trump expressed uncertainty, stating, "I don’t know. I can’t tell you whether or not that’s going to happen." As part of ongoing military assistance efforts, the U.S. has paused some shipments of military aid to Ukraine, including crucial air defense missiles. In this context, Ukraine's main European allies are now deliberating how to compensate for the shortfall in military support. Zelenskyy also mentioned plans to enhance Ukraine's domestic arms industry, although scaling up operations will require time.
In response to the drone threats from Ukraine, Russia's Defense Ministry reported that it successfully shot down 94 Ukrainian drones overnight into Saturday, with 12 additional drones intercepted on Saturday morning, and no casualties were reported from these engagements.
