Officials in Poltava province, central Ukraine, said that the Myrhorod military airport was attacked by Russia early this morning, causing damage to equipment and infrastructure.
“The enemy used 8 cruise and ballistic missiles of the Iskander system and 35 suicide drones (UAVs) Shahed-136/131 to attack one of the military airfields in Poltava province, along with the areas in the Kharkov province in the north and Odessa in the south,” the Ukrainian Air Force said in a statement today.
The Ukrainian military claims that its air defense units shot down two missiles of unknown types and 20 Shahed aircraft.
Poltava Governor Dmytro Lunin later said that the air strike on the Myrhorod military airport had “caused some damage to infrastructure and equipment”, but did not disclose specifics. The Myrhorod base is home to Ukraine’s 831st and 39th Tactical Airborne Brigade, staffed with nearly 40 Su-27 heavy fighters before the outbreak of hostilities.
Spokesperson for the Southern Operations Command of the Ukrainian Army Natalia Humeniuk said on the same day that debris from one of the intercepted UAVs fell on an apartment building in Odessa province and caused the fire. Emergency services in the city of Odessa announced that three civilians were killed and 27 injured in the incident.
Kharkov Governor Oleh Synehubov said that 10 Russian suicide drones targeted two areas in this locality, killing one person. Serhiy Lysak, governor of the central province of Dnipro, said that two Russian drones were shot down and caused no damage.
The scene of Russian UAV debris falling on an apartment complex in Odessa early on June 10. Photo: Reuters
The Russian Defense Ministry has not commented on the information.
Ukrainian officials admit that military targets being attacked is considered an unusual move because the country’s authorities almost never publish information about military facilities hit by Russian attacks. Khmelnytskyi Governor’s office in western Ukraine late last month said that many military targets had been attacked by Russia, causing damage to five planes and one runway.
The airstrikes took place amid a large-scale counterattack by the Ukrainian army in the Zaporizhzhia and Donetsk regions.
Russia’s continuous raids seem to be aimed at depleting Ukraine’s anti-aircraft ammunition, as they have to constantly fire expensive shells to deal with cheap missiles and UAVs. Ukrainian officials have repeatedly expressed concern to the West about the risk of a shortage of anti-aircraft missiles before the counterattack.
Russia – Ukraine battlefield. Graphics: WP
Deputy Director General of the Defense Intelligence Service of Ukraine Vadym Skibitsky last month said that Russia is focusing on attacking bases and ammunition depots to interrupt the counter-attack process, instead of trying to destroy energy infrastructure as before.
