Strana 15
A major factor was Ukraine’s current drone
superiority, which is destroying Russian
logistics up to 150–200 km from the front line.
Russian units are suffering losses before they
even reach the battlefield, and their supply
lines are increasingly inadequate. In addition,
long-range drone strikes continue to target
strategic sites deep inside Russian territory.
As early as Thursday, April 2, Ukrainian
drones struck several targets at the Kirovske
air base in occupied Crimea. The attack was
carried out by the 1st Separate Center of
Unmanned Systems Forces in cooperation
with the 9th Department of Ukraine’s military
intelligence agency (GUR). Ukrainian-made
FP-2 drones with a range of 200 km were used
carrying explosive warheads weighing 60–100
kg.
A destroyed An-72 transport jet was
among the targets, although it had been out
of service and parked at the site for at least
20 years. According to The Military Watch,
it was a specialized An-72PS version built as
a one-off aircraft intended for maritime
search-and-rescue operations. The aircraft
had serial number 36572080775 and originally
carried the Soviet registration CCCP-71052.
It later received the Ukrainian tail number
“Blue 15.” By the time Russian forces occupied
Crimea in 2014, it had already been retired.
A much more significant success of the
Kirovske attack was the destruction of three
hangars used by Russia for Orion drone
operations. These drones have an endurance
of 24 hours and can operate up to 300 km
inside enemy territory. They are used either for
reconnaissance or in a combat role, carrying
up to 250 kg of missiles and bombs.
The very next day, Friday, April 3, Russian
aviation suffered a loss in an accident. This
also occurred in Crimea and involved a naval
aviation Su-30SM fighter jet. According to the
Russian Ministry of Defense, the aircraft was
on a training flight and carried no weapons.
Both crew members ejected safely. Unofficial
Russian sources reported that an engine
fire broke out during the flight and efforts to
extinguish it failed. The uncontrolled aircraft
reportedly crashed into a house in the village
of Heroiske.
During the night of April 3–4, Ukrainian
drones launched a large-scale attack
against Russian military infrastructure in the
occupied Donetsk and Luhansk regions and
in Crimea, where an S-400 radar in Feodosia
was hit. Over the previous ten months, nearly
500 components of Russia’s air defense
network had reportedly been struck.
Importantly, this attack also hit two Russian
Shahed/Geran drone bases and launch sites—
one in Russia’s Bryansk region (the village of
Navlya) and another in Russia’s Kursk region
(Khalino airfield).
Strikes on Ships
Ukraine also continued its air-drone attacks
against Russian ships at anchor. Unlike
naval drones or Storm Shadow missiles,
aerial drones generally do not carry enough
explosives to sink large vessels. However, they
can damage sensitive areas such as bridges
and electronic systems, putting ships out of
service until repairs are completed.
On Monday, April 6, a strike against the
frigate Admiral Grigorovich was reported. The
ship was docked in the port of Novorossiysk.
This is an important vessel capable of
launching Kalibr cruise missiles. The same
attack reportedly hit an oil terminal and an
offshore drilling platform as well.
During the night of April 6–7, a ferry in
the port of Kerch was damaged. This formed
part of a broader campaign aimed at cutting
Crimea off the supply lines. The land route
to the peninsula is now fully within range
of Ukrainian drones, which are destroying
Russian logistics all the way to Mariupol. This
has led to shortages of fuel and other goods
in Crimea. Disabling ferries leaves the Kerch
Bridge as the only remaining supply route, and
it too has been struck multiple times in the past.
On Saturday, April 18, Ukrainian intelligence
announced that several ships had been hit
overnight in the port of Sevastopol. Among
them were reportedly the landing ships Yamal
and Azov, as well as a warship of an unidentified
An-72PS with serial number 36572080775 had remained retired and stationary
in the same location for about 20 years.
The existence of the An-72PS at Kirovske Air Base
was ended by a Ukrainian drone.
Three hangars used in Russian Orion drone operations
were also destroyed at Kirovske Air Base.
Attack on the Russian Mi-8 helicopter
with the tail number “Red 60”
at the Babki field airstrip.
At the moment of the attack,
a mechanic was working
on the helicopter’s engine.
Explosion of the Mi-8 helicopter
with the tail number “Red 60.”
A Mi-28 helicopter with the tail number
“Yellow 07” was also targeted in the attack
at the Babki field airstrip.
UKRAJINA
INFO Eduard
15
June 2026