Ukraine reported Saturday that it hit a Russian airbase in the Voronezh region.
Ukraine said it attacked a Russian airbase on Saturday, while Russia continued to bombard Ukraine with hundreds of drones overnight as part of a stepped-up bombing campaign that has crushed expectations for a breakthrough in attempts to end the more than three-year-old war.
Ukraine’s military General Staff announced Saturday that Ukrainian forces had attacked the Borisoglebsk airbase in Russia’s Voronezh area, referring to it as the “home base” of Russia’s Su-34, Su-35S, and Su-30SM fighter jets.
The General Staff announced on Facebook that it had targeted a storage storing glide bombs, a training aircraft, and “possibly other aircraft.”
Russian officials did not immediately respond to the bombing.
Such assaults on Russian airbases are intended to weaken Russia’s military strength and demonstrate Ukraine’s ability to strike high-value targets in Russia. Ukraine claimed last month that it destroyed over 40 Russian planes stationed at numerous airfields deep within Russian territory in a surprise drone attack.
Russia shot 322 drones and decoys into Ukraine overnight and into Saturday, according to the Ukrainian air force. Of them, 157 were shot down and 135 were lost, most likely because of electronic jamming.
According to the air force, the attack was aimed primarily against Ukraine’s western Khmelnytskyi region. Regional Governor Serhii Tyurin said on Saturday that no damage, injuries, or deaths had been reported.
Russia has been increasing its long-range attacks on Ukraine. Waves of drones and missiles hit Kyiv overnight into Friday, in the heaviest aerial assault since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine began, killing one and injuring at least 26 others.
The new round of attacks came after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced Friday that he had a “very important and productive” phone discussion with US President Donald Trump.
According to Zelenskyy, the two leaders discussed ways to bolster Ukrainian air defenses, potential collaborative weapons manufacture between the US and Ukraine, and broader US-led efforts to end the war with Russia.
When reporters asked Trump about the call Friday night, he remarked, “We had a very good call, I think.”
When questioned about finding a means to cease the fighting, Trump replied, “I’m not sure. I can’t tell you whether or not it will happen.
The United States has suspended some military aid supplies to Ukraine, including critical air defense missiles. Ukraine’s main European allies are exploring how they may help fill the void. Zelenskyy said efforts are underway to expand Ukraine’s domestic weaponry sector, but scaling up will take time.
Russia’s Defense Ministry says it shot down 94 Ukrainian drones overnight and 12 more on Saturday morning. There were no casualties reported.