Ukraine escalates conflict with drone strikes on Russian soil
Sources in the Ukrainian services and military confirm the organisation of drone attacks on targets in the territory of Russia, reported by the service Ukrainska Pravda. Meanwhile, the British Ministry of Defence claims that Ukrainian air defence, for the first time, shot down a Russian strategic bomber.
20 April 2024 17:16
Ukrainska Pravda reports that dozens of drones were used in the attack overnight from Friday to Saturday. Sources in the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine (GUR) and the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) confirmed this to journalists.
Ukrainian aircraft-type UAVs attacked the territory of Russia on the night of 19-20 April as part of a joint operation by Defence Intelligence of Ukraine (DIU), the Security Service of Ukraine (SSU), and the Special Operations Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine - reports Ukrainska Pravda.
The war in Ukraine. Ukrainian forces attack targets in Russia
Ukrainian drones attacked targets in the regions: Belgorod, Bryansk, Kursk, Tula, Smolensk, Ryazan, Kaluga, and Moscow. The attacks were aimed at infrastructure energy that powers the Russian arms industry.
Sources of Ukrainian Truth report that at least three power stations and a fuel base were hit.
On the other hand, the Russian side had previously informed that it shot down or intercepted 50 Ukrainian drones. Local authorities in the aggressor country also confirmed damage to energy facilities in Bryansk and Kaluga regions and a fire at a fuel tank in the Smolensk region.
Ukraine is said to have shot down a Russian bomber
The British Ministry of Defence also reports new information about the situation at the front in its daily intelligence update. It reported that on Friday, Russia conducted attacks on targets in southern Ukraine using the strategic bomber Tu-22M3 (NATO code Backfire C). Ukrainian military intelligence, on the other hand, announced that it had shot down one of these bombers.
Reports on this topic also appeared on the internet. One shows how one of the Tu-22M3s loses control in the air and crashes to the ground.
The Russian Ministry of Defence confirmed that the Tu-22M3 crashed, and a search and rescue operation is underway. However, it did not admit that it was shot down.
It is almost certain that reports stating that an S-200 missile (SA-5) was used are true, and it was another successful Ukrainian operation against Russian air forces. The MOD explained that it is probably the same system used to shoot down the Russian plane A-50 (NATO code Mainstay) on 23 February 2024.
