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Ukraine reported a successful strike on a Russian air base on Saturday, while Russia continued its intensive drone bombing of Ukraine overnight. This escalation has thwarted any optimism for a resolution to the war, which has persisted for over three years.
The Ukrainian military’s General Staff announced that they targeted the Borisoglebsk air base in Russia’s Voronezh region. This base is known for housing Russia’s Su-34, Su-35S, and Su-30SM fighter jets.
Writing on Facebook, the General Staff said it hit a depot containing glide bombs, a training aircraft and “possibly other aircraft.”
Russian officials did not immediately comment on the attack.
Such operations targeting Russian air bases aim to reduce Russia’s military power and showcase Ukraine’s ability to hit critical sites within Russian territory. Just last month, Ukraine claimed it destroyed over 40 Russian aircraft through a surprise drone attack on several airfields deep within Russian borders.
Russia fired 322 drones and decoys into Ukraine overnight into Saturday, Ukraine’s air force said. Of these, 157 were shot down and 135 were lost, likely having been electronically jammed.
According to the air force, Ukraine’s western Khmelnytskyi region was the main target of the attack. Regional Gov. Serhii Tyurin said Saturday that no damage, injuries or deaths had been reported.
Russia has been stepping up its long-range attacks on Ukraine. Waves of drones and missiles targeted Kyiv overnight into Friday in the largest aerial assault since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine began. On Saturday, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said the number of people killed in the assault had increased to two. A further 31 people were wounded.
The fresh wave of attacks came after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Friday that he had a “very important and productive” phone call with U.S. President Donald Trump.
The two leaders discussed how Ukrainian air defenses might be strengthened, possible joint weapons production between the U.S. and Ukraine, and broader U.S-led efforts to end the war with Russia, according to a statement by Zelenskyy.
Asked Friday night by reporters about the call, Trump said, “We had a very good call, I think.”
When asked about finding a way to end the fighting, Trump said: “I don’t know. I can’t tell you whether or not that’s going to happen.”
The U.S. has paused some shipments of military aid to Ukraine, including crucial air defense missiles. Ukraine’s main European backers are considering how they can help pick up the slack. Zelenskyy says plans are afoot to build up Ukraine’s domestic arms industry, but scaling up will take time.
Russia’s Defense Ministry said it shot down 94 Ukrainian drones overnight into Saturday, along with 45 further drones Saturday morning and early afternoon. No casualties were reported, but local officials in the Saratov region said 25 apartments were damaged by Ukrainian drones in the city of Engels.
Four Ukrainian drones were shot down while approaching Moscow on Saturday, according to Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin. Air traffic was briefly halted as a precaution at one of Moscow’s airports, Sheremetyevo, Russia’s aviation authority Rosaviatsiya said. ___
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