Ukraine pummels Russia's air force in 'precision' strike as Vladimir Putin left humiliated

Ukraine has hit a Russian military airfield with precision weapons, an insider has said, as part of “a sustained campaign to degrade the Russian Air Force”.

Satellite imagery appeared to show a pair of SU-34 fighter-bombers at the Morozovsk airbase in southern Russia, plus a white structure prior to the attack.

A second image purportedly depicts the aftermath, with the aircraft and the structure destroyed.

Ukraine has not commented on the alleged strikes.

The Kyiv Independent cited Russian officials and local media as reporting a drone attack in the city of Morozovsk, with the regional governor claiming Russian air defences faced a "mass attack", which had left some parts of the area without power.

A Ukrainian security source told Sky News "precision strikes" had the aircraft and "glide-bomb munition facilities" at the airfield.

They added: "The targets were struck to degrade Russia's ability to conduct airstrikes on [the northeastern region of] Kharkiv.

"This will support Ukraine's campaign to push the Russian ground forces [RGF] back from the temporarily occupied territories."

The airbase was previously hit in April, with SU-34 jets again the targets.

The source explained: "Additionally, these aircraft are fitted with glide-bomb technology allowing them to release bombs further away from their targets," they said.

"This strike will impede Russia's ability to conduct such strikes in the future and allow UAF [Ukrainian armed forces] troops to push back RGF with a reduced threat of air attack."

In an op-ed for The Daily Telegraph earlier this week, Colonel Hamish Stephen de Bretton-Gordon, former commanding officer of the UK's Joint Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Regiment, claimed Western weapons were now enabling Ukraine to blunt Russian attacks.

He explained: “For too long, Ukraine has had to fight the invading Russians with one hand tied behind its back.

“At last, however, that is beginning to change.”

He explained: “From now, with permissions granted from various Western countries – but most crucially the United States – Ukraine can strike targets far deeper into Russia.

“And these weapons are quite deadly. Over the weekend, Ukrainian forces achieved several notable milestones. An example of the Kremlin’s most advanced and costly aircraft, a Su-57 stealth fighter jet, was hit at the Akhtubinsk airfield in southern Russia.

“One of only six which can fire Russia’s own ‘wonder weapon’ – a hypersonic missile – the strike was a powerful sign of Kyiv’s increasing power."

Leaders of the Group of Seven wealthy democracies yesterday agreed to structure a £40 billion ($50 billion) loan to help Ukraine in its fight for survival.

Interest earned on profits from Russia’s frozen central bank assets would be used as collateral.

Details of the deal were being hashed out by G7 leaders at their summit in Italy. The money could reach Kyiv before the end of the year, according to US and French officials.

President Joe Biden told reporters at a news conference Thursday that the move was part of a “historic agreement.” Ukraine's president, Volodymyr Zelensky, said providing a loan through Russia's assets "is a vital step forward in providing sustainable support for Ukraine in winning this war."

Russian President Vladimir Putin promised Friday to “immediately” order a ceas-fire in Ukraine and start negotiations if Kyiv began withdrawing troops from the four regions annexed by Moscow in 2022 and renounced plans to join NATO.

However, Mr Zelensky immediately rejected what he called an ultimatum by Putin to surrender more territory.