Images posted on social media show a Tupolev Tu–22 in flames at an airbase south of St. Petersburg, British broadcaster BBC reported on Tuesday morning.
The pictures depict a large fire enveloping a plane with the characteristic nose cone of the Tu-22; the BBC said it believed them to be credible.
According to Russia’s defence ministry, the strike took place on Saturday morning, and the unmanned aerial vehicle was hit by small-arms fire, but managed to damage an aircraft.
The ministry added, as quoted by Britain’s The Guardian newspaper: “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 firefighters. One aircraft was damaged.”
Ukraine strikes deep inside Russia
The Tu-22, which can travel at twice the speed of sound, has been used extensively by Russia to attack cities in Ukraine, the BBC reported.
The destruction of a single aircraft out of Russia’s fleet of 60 Tu-22 supersonic bombers may have limited material impact, but it showcases Ukraine’s growing capability of striking targets deep inside Russia, according to the BBC.
Kyiv has not acknowledged the strike and rarely comments on attacks on Russian territory, The Guardian noted.
In recent months, Ukraine has launched a series of drone attacks on Moscow, more than 800 kilometres away, while the airbase where the Tu-22 was attacked is some 650 kilometres from the Ukraine border, the BBC reported.
Britain’s defence ministry said on Tuesday that “on 19 August 2023, a Tu-22M3 Backfire medium bomber of Russia’s Long Range Aviation (LRA) was highly likely destroyed at Soltsky-2 Airbase in Novgorod Oblast, 650 km away from Ukraine’s border.”
The UK officials added: “The Russian Defence Ministry said that a copter-style uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV) was responsible for the attack.”
The British defence ministry stated: “If true, this adds weight to the assessment that some UAV attacks against Russian military targets are being launched from inside Russian territory. Copter UAVs are unlikely to have the range to reach Soltsky-2 from outside Russia.”
Ukrainian UAV hits apartment near Moscow: reports
Meanwhile, Russia has taken down four Ukrainian drones near Moscow and over the Bryansk region bordering Ukraine, the Reuters news agency reported on Tuesday morning, citing Russian officials.
Four explosions were heard in the early hours of Tuesday in the Odintsovo district near Chastsy settlement to the west of Moscow, where one UAV was brought down, according to Reuters.
One of the UAVs was destroyed over the town of Krasnogorsk near Moscow, with footage and photos showing broken windows in a high-rise apartment building, debris on a pavement and a damaged car, Reuters reported.
Air space over Moscow was briefly closed and three airports in the Russian capital suspended flights, according to Russian state media.
Ukraine retakes more land from Russia on eastern front: official
Meanwhile, Ukraine’s forces have retaken a further 3 square kilometres of land from Russia on the eastern front over the past week, Deputy Defence Minister Hanna Malyar said on Monday, as cited by The Guardian.
She told national television that Ukrainian troops were repelling Russian attacks and advancing south of the city of Bakhmut in the Donetsk region, held by Russia since May following a bloody months-long battle.
Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022, launching the largest military campaign in Europe since World War II.
Tuesday is day 545 of Russia’s war on Ukraine.
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Source: PAP, BBC, The Guardian, Reuters