Two strategic fighter jets damaged in attack on Russia's Olenya airfield – Ukraine's Defence Intelligence

Two strategic Tu-22M3 bombers at once have been damaged in the explosion at the Olenya military airbase in Murmansk Oblast, Russia.

Source: Andrii Yusov, representative of the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine (DIU), in a commentary for Radio Liberty

Quote: "This is about the explosion above the location of the aircraft. Moreover, I can confirm that two Tu-22M3s were damaged. There are corresponding tail numbers, tail No.33 and tail No.31. There are holes in the upper part of the fuselage of the tail No.33. And tail No.31 was also damaged."

Details: Yusov stated that it may take the Russians several months to repair these aircraft, and the air raid warning was not issued at the airbase during the attack.

Yusov also specified the date and time of the incident. Earlier it was reported that the attack on the Engels airfield in Saratov Oblast, the Dyagilevo airfield in Ryazan Oblast and the Olenya military airfield in Murmansk Oblast was launched at night and on the morning of 27 July 2024.

"As for the date, we can say this occurred on 25 July. The information was communicated later after additional verification. Indeed, on 25 July at about 15:47, a similar strike was documented," Yusov said.

On the morning of 30 July the Russian service of Radio Liberty published satellite images which, as journalists put it, "indicate the absence of traces of a Ukrainian strike on the strategic aircraft airbase".

Yusov stressed that satellite images "are not the only source of information to be taken into account".

Quote: "It should be noted that satellite images are undoubtedly a very important source of information but the nature of damage and aftermath are different and this is certainly not the only source of information to rely on. However, the information was confirmed by different sources, and we can safely say that such an incident indeed occurred."

Background:

• On 27 July, a source of Ukrainska Pravda reported that as a result of the operation of the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine (DIU) near the settlement of Olenogorsk in Russia, Ukrainian drones damaged a Russian Tu-22M3 strategic bomber at the Olenya airbase, located less than 200 kilometres from Finland's northeastern border.
• Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President of Ukraine, mentioned an attack on the Olenya airbase in his video address on 28 July, praising the work of the DIU and Security Service of Ukraine (SSU).
• DIU neither confirms nor denies Ukraine’s involvement in this attack.
• At the same time, the attack on Olenya was indirectly confirmed by the reaction of Alexander Stubb, President of Finland.

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