Ukrainian drone strike hits Russian airfield in Lipetsk

Ukrainian forces have carried out a significant kamikaze drone attack on a major bomb storage site and airfield in Lipetsk, Russia, triggering explosions that lasted for hours.

According to a report on Metro UK, the strikes led to the evacuation of hundreds of residents from four nearby settlements and resulted in power outages and disruptions in civilian movement. At least nine civilians have been reported killed.

In a separate operation, Ukraine launched a missile attack on a Russian military column in the Rylsky district of Kursk region, intensifying the conflict as Russia attempts to repel Ukrainian advances.

Witnesses reported powerful explosions near the village of Oktyabrskoye, and the highway in the area has been blocked due to ongoing fires and munitions detonations. The Ukrainian incursion has prompted both sides to deploy reinforcements, with Russia conducting extensive bombings, including targeting its own village of Darino from Su-34 warplanes.

Videos show Ukrainian forces occupying Darino, although it is unclear if all Russian residents have been evacuated. Other footage depicts Russian strikes on Ukrainian armored vehicles in the Kursk region.

Residents of the border town Sudzha have expressed anger towards Russian military leadership, accusing them of false claims regarding the halted Ukrainian advance. They have criticized the presence of foreign troops and equipment, drawing parallels with Russian actions in Ukraine.

Russian state TV reported that Ukraine has gained partial or full control of 11 settlements in the Sudzhansky district. In Lipetsk, entertainment events have been canceled following the attacks.

The Russian Defense Ministry claimed to have intercepted 75 drones overnight, including 26 over Belgorod, 19 over Lipetsk, and seven over Kursk. Additionally, seven unmanned boats were reportedly sunk in the Black Sea.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has not detailed the Kursk invasion but stated that increasing pressure on Russia will bring peace closer.

[Information sourced from Metro UK]