Ukrainska Pravda reported that Ukrainian forces raided two Russian airports in the Berdyansk and Lugansk areas controlled by Moscow, damaging 9 helicopters and a number of air defense complexes and infrastructure.
Ukrainska Pravda reported that Special Operations Forces in coordination with the Ukrainian Defense Forces raided Berdyansk and Lugansk airports in the area controlled by Moscow, causing 9 Russian helicopters to be damaged. The base’s air defense complex runway and infrastructure were also affected.
The source said that the Ukrainian Special Operations Forces received information about the enemy’s use of airfields in the Berdyansk and Lugansk regions controlled by Moscow as well as the presence there of a significant number of aircraft. Special equipment and ammunition.
Verified information, coordinates, and necessary data were transferred to units of the Self-Defense Forces for destructive attacks. The raid on the night of October 16 and 17 caused significant damage to the Russian army.
According to the latest data, the following weapons were destroyed in Berdyansk and Lugansk: 9 helicopters of various types, special equipment for flight operations, air defense systems, warehouses ammunition, and the airport runway was damaged.
Russia did not comment on the information given by the Ukrainian side.
The source noted that the ammunition depot in Berdyansk exploded before 4 a.m. The explosion in Lugansk continued until 11 a.m.
According to the special forces, enemy casualties amounted to dozens of dead and wounded. The report said bodies were still being pulled from the rubble.
The Ukrainian Air Force has spoken out to explain why the attacks on Luhansk and Berdiansk airports were important
Yurii Ihnat, a spokesman for the Ukrainian Air Force Command, said that targeting Russian airfields is important for Ukraine, as helicopters operating near the front line are located there and can attack the weapons and equipment of the Defense Forces of Ukraine.
Mr. Ihnat said he did not have information yet on what was likely to be attacked at the airports but added that, in general, the removal of helicopters such as the Ka-52 and Mi-24 was certainly beneficial for Ukraine. This is because Russian helicopters and tactical aircraft operate continuously on the front lines and on the battlefield.
“The enemy is trying to keep helicopters closer to the front line, like at Chornobaivka (an airfield base in the Kherson region then controlled by Russia, which has been attacked by Ukrainian forces many times since the starting point of the conflict).
And this time, Luhansk and Berdiansk are not far from the front line, the enemy has more advanced helicopters and more modern weapons. They have long-range anti-tank guided missiles, which are continuously used by helicopters within a range of 10km or more from the direct demarcation line. So destroying such devices is quite important for us,” Mr. Ihnat said.
