The Ukrainian State Security Service, known by the acronym SBU, and Armed Forces executed a strike operation during the late hours of December 17, targeting a Russian airfield located in the Rostov region, according to Ukrainian media.
Sources within intelligence circles, speaking to hromadske, emphasized the critical nature of the Morozovsk airfield in the Rostov region due to its housing of the 559th Bomber Aviation Regiment of the Russian Aerospace Forces.
At the time of the strike, reports indicated the presence of up to 20 SU-34 combat aircraft, three radar stations, and various other military equipment at the airfield. Despite Russia’s swift assertion that all unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) were intercepted, images surfaced on social media platforms showcasing the damage inflicted on a Su-34 fighter jet and a kamikaze drone.
According to the Russian Ministry of Defense reports, overnight, an additional 33 unmanned aerial vehicles were reportedly destroyed or intercepted by their air defense systems over the territories of Lipetsk, Rostov, and Volgograd regions.
Furthermore, the Russian Ministry of Defense later announced another alleged attempt of drone attacks on Russian territory. According to their claims, Russian air defense systems purportedly destroyed two Ukrainian UAVs over the Volgograd region by the morning.
Governor Vasiliy Golubev of the Rostov region stated that most of the drones launched in the region were purportedly eliminated, and there were no casualties reported as a result of the attack.
The conflicting narratives and claims from both the Russian Ministry of Defense and the Governor underscore the fog of information surrounding these aerial engagements.
Videos circulated on Russian Telegram channels showing fires in the Rostov region allegedly caused by drone strikes.