SBU drones strike Su-35 and Su-34 jets at Russia's Khanskaya airbase
Ukrainian SBU drones struck an Su-35 and an Su-34 combat aircraft, plus an ammunition depot, at the Khanskaya military airfield in Russia's Adygea early on Sunday, according to an official Ukrainian dispatch.
Long-range strike drones operated by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) struck advanced Russian Su-35 and Su-34 combat aircraft alongside an ammunition depot at the Khanskaya military airfield in Russia’s Republic of Adygea early Sunday morning, Oct. 4, Kyiv Post reported.
According to an official SBU dispatch, operators from the service’s “Alpha” Special Operations Center carried out the overnight strike against the base, about six kilometres outside the regional capital of Maykop and roughly 500 kilometres from Ukrainian-controlled territory.
The SBU confirmed direct hits on an Su-35 multi-role fighter — carrying an estimated export valuation of $100 million — and an Su-34 fighter-bomber, valued at about $50 million, with an on-site ammunition storage facility detonated as well.
“Last night, the Security Service of Ukraine successfully attacked the military airfield Khanskaya in the Republic of Adygea, Russian Federation,” the SBU stated. “The distance to the target is about 500 kilometers.”
Eyewitnesses in Maykop reported drone engine sounds and active Russian air defence fire from around 1:00am local time, followed by secondary explosions and large blazes. Militarnyi reported that drone-threat reports ran from 1:42am to 5:34am and that NASA FIRMS satellite data confirmed a fire in the airfield’s area.
The strike was the second consecutive night of Ukrainian operations against Russian air assets: overnight into Saturday, Ukrainian drones struck the Tsymbulovo droneport in Russia’s Oryol region, according to the Kyiv Post.
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