Ukrainian drone attack against Lipetsk-2 airfield
August 10, 2024
On the night of 8/9 August 2024, Ukraine mounted a massive UAV attack against a military air base deep inside Russia. The attack targeted Lipetsk-2 airfield, hitting the base’s stockpile of guided glide bombs. These were being used in Russia’s attacks against Ukrainian forces on the front line, and targets in Ukraine.
Lipetsk-2 is the home of the 4th Centre for Combat Application and Crew Training, and the 968th Aviation Regiment. The base’s MiG-29SMTs, Su-24Ms, Su-25s, Su-27SM3s, Su-34s and Su-35Ss have all been used in support of Russia’s illegal and barbaric invasion of Ukraine.
The Ukrainian attack was the latest in a series of operations against Russian air bases. These were aimed at limiting Moscow’s ability to use its aircraft to strike targets in Ukraine. The previous target was Morozovsk, the home of the 1st Guards Stalingrad Svirkskaya Composite Air Division, whose 559th Bomber Aviation Regiment has operated the Su-34 fighter-bomber for glide bomb attacks against Ukraine.
A Ukrainian source said that: “In early August we cleared the Morozovsk airfield of guided bombs and fighters, today it’s the turn of Lipetsk-2.”
A series of detonations were observed at Lipetsk-2. Igor Artamonov, the governor of the Lipetsk region, said that the “massive attack” by Ukrainian drones had caused explosions, disrupting the power supply and wounding nine people.
Professor Michael Clarke, Sky News’ security and defence analyst and a former Director of the Royal United Services Institute from 2007-15 said that: “This attack on Lipetsk is the most significant airfield attack so far that I can think of in the war to date.”
