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The strategic air base at Olenya is 1,800 kilometers north of Russia’s border to Ukraine. This is the first reported attack inside the Arctic Circle after Russia launched its full-scale war on Ukraine in February 2022.
As a result of the operation of the GUR of the Ministry of Defense near Olenegorsk at the military airfield Olenya at the base of the strategic aviation of the Russian occupiers, a long-range supersonic bomber-missile carrier TU-22M3 was hit,” the intelligence service said, according to newspaper Ukrainska Pravda.
Shortly after, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy issued a statement:
“I want to especially acknowledge our warriors who strike at Russian bases and logistics in the occupied territory. The invader must feel that this is Ukrainian land. And each destroyed Russian airbase, each destroyed Russian military aircraft – whether on the ground or in the air – means saving Ukrainian lives. Guys, our warriors, I thank you for your precision!”
The drone attack is not confirmed by independent sources, and Russia’s military has so far not detailed more than saying “Russian troops destroyed 81 Ukrainian drones in the air within 24 hours,” information agency Interfax reports.
Olenya airfield south of Murmansk is frequently used by Russia’s strategic aviation to attack civilian infrastructure in Ukraine with cruise missile. It was Tu-95MS bombers from Olenya that less than a month ago bombed the children’s hospital in Kyiv.
It was last spring the strategic air forces relocated more than 10 Tu-95MS and Tu-160 long-range bombers to Olenya. The move came after Engels Air Base in Saratov region was hit by Ukrainian drones.
From before, Olenya is home to a fleet of Tu-22M3 supersonic bombers.
In addition to Olenya, the two air fields of Engels in Saratov region and Dyaghilevo in Ryazan region were hit by kamikaze drones from Ukraine early Saturday.
Like Olenya, this are air fields from where Tu-95MS, Tu-22M3 bombers fly when attacking Ukraine.
… this article is in progress. update soon…
