Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) and Special Operations Forces (SOF) conducted a drone attack on Russia’s Marynivka airfield in the Volgograd region on August 22, 2024, destroying warehouses that stored guided aerial bombs and fuel. The operation, which targeted a military site known for launching airstrikes against Ukrainian positions, has been confirmed by a source within the SBU, according to reports from Ukrinform and other outlets.
The attack, which occurred overnight, triggered a series of explosions and fires that were heard and seen from the nearby town of Kalach-na-Donu. The Marynivka airfield, located approximately 20 kilometers from the town and around 900 kilometers southeast of Moscow, has been actively used by the Russian Air Force to launch bombing missions against Ukrainian forces. Eyewitnesses reported hearing between six and ten explosions during the night, followed by the sight of multiple fires raging at the base.
10/10 Dostoevsky moment with a Russian guy witnessing the Marinovka air base following a Ukrainian drone assault.
“There it is flying by, fuck. Fucking flying over again, fuck. It’s all fucking fucked up! Everything. It’s fucked as fuck. They’re fucking bombing it since 2.30 am,… pic.twitter.com/FUkggkHYDi
— Illia Ponomarenko 🇺🇦 (@IAPonomarenko) August 22, 2024
Russian authorities, including Volgograd Governor Andrei Bocharov, acknowledged the drone strike but claimed that most of the attacking drones were intercepted by air defenses. However, Bocharov admitted that one drone crash led to a fire at a Defense Ministry facility, though he insisted there were no casualties or significant damage. Despite these claims, satellite imagery and videos from local residents show extensive fires at the airfield, suggesting that the damage was far more severe than officially stated.
The airfield, home to squadrons of Su-24MP and Su-34 aircraft, was reportedly a key launch site for bombing raids on Ukrainian territory. Open-source intelligence and satellite imagery indicate that the attack severely impacted the airbase’s operational capabilities, with major fires destroying critical infrastructure, including fuel storage and bomb warehouses.
NASA’s FIRMS fire monitoring systems shows multiple fires at Russia’s Marinovka Air Base in Volgograd Oblast after a successful Ukrainian drone attack earlier tonight.
Explosions, smoke and flames were seen rising from the airfield. pic.twitter.com/J9TaJWwLgv
— OSINTtechnical (@Osinttechnical) August 22, 2024
This strike is part of a broader pattern of Ukrainian drone attacks deep inside Russian territory, targeting military facilities and infrastructure.
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