The Ukrainian drone strikes targeted three Russian airfields in the Saratov, Ryazan and Murmansk regions, according to a source in the Ukrainian intelligence service, reports The Kyiv Independent.
In the attack on the field in the latter Murmansk region, a Tu-22M3 bomber is said to have been damaged.
A model capable of carrying cruise missiles used in the war in Ukraine.
Protects against missiles
Roger Djupsjö is a major and military teacher at the Norwegian Defense Academy, and says that the whole thing has developed into a form of distance race where Russia is forced to move its aircraft further away from the war as Ukraine increases its ability to strike further into the country.
He says that the attacks on the airfields are a way for the Ukrainians to defend themselves against the missiles, which have been difficult for the air defense to shoot down.
– Russia will now either have to move their aircraft even further away, or they will have to sacrifice expensive air defense systems to protect these bases which have probably been quite unprotected until now because they were thought to be at a safe distance, he says.
It is still unclear how the Ukrainian drones got to the airfields.
– It could be local or infiltrated Ukrainian personnel who have done it, using drones with a shorter range. Then it is the FSB, Russia’s security service, that has made a big mistake, says Lieutenant Colonel Joakim Paasikivi, to Swedish daily newspaper.
40 miles from Sweden
The attack on the Olenja airbase in the Murmansk region took place only 20 miles from the Finnish border and about 40 miles from Swedish territory.
Sweden’s Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson and Finland’s President Alexander Stubb spoke out shortly afterwards and said there was no cause for concern.
– It is not news for either our air force or the Finnish air force because these aircraft are stationed there. And if Russia uses this airbase to strike Ukraine, it is clear that it will be a legitimate target for Ukraine to strike against. So I don’t really think it has that much significance for us, says Roger Djupsjö at the Norwegian Defense University.
Want to influence the civilian population
On Saturday, the Ukrainian cyberattack on Russia continued, hitting ten major Russian banks and preventing many Russians from using the country’s ATMs to withdraw cash.
– There are large parts of the Russian civilian population that more or less do not think that this war affects them, but with this they want to spread the image that sooner or later you will also be affected by the war, says Roger Djupsjö and concludes:
– Even though Putin says you are invulnerable, you are not. This is a way to show that they are not as strong as their leader says.