Khalino Air Base in Russia’s Kursk Oblast, home to the 14th Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment, has become a focal point of Ukraine’s ongoing military campaign in the region. Located just 65 miles from the Ukrainian border and near the town of Sudzha, the base is strategically significant due to its role in launching KAB glide bombs against Ukrainian forces.
Satellite imagery released following a series of Ukrainian missile strikes on July 31, 2024, confirms significant damage to military warehouses and an ammunition depot at the Khalino airfield. The strikes, which occurred days before Ukraine’s surprise incursion into Kursk Oblast, targeted storage facilities containing aviation and artillery munitions.Â
Ukrainian Navy spokesperson Dmytro Pletenchuk neither confirmed nor denied the use of modified Neptune anti-ship cruise missiles in the attack, though the involvement of Ukrainian naval units suggests their possible use. The strikes appear to have partially destroyed an ammunition depot, potentially affecting the availability of KAB bombs used by the regiment’s fleet of Sukhoi Su-30SM fighter-bombers.
Since the start of the conflict, Khalino Air Base has been a repeated target for Ukrainian forces due to its proximity to the border and its role in Russia’s military operations. Previous attacks, including drone raids in December 2022 and July 2023, have inflicted damage on the base’s fuel depot and aviation facilities. The latest strikes indicate that Ukraine aims to degrade Russia’s air power in the region to support its ground offensive.
Ukrainian forces continue their advance into Kursk Oblast, they face ongoing airstrikes from the 14th Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment, which has been launching up to 50 KAB bombs daily against Ukrainian positions. Despite this, Ukrainian troops have made significant progress, capturing nearly 400 square miles of territory. The ongoing battle poses an increasing threat to Russian forces stationed at Khalino, especially as Ukrainian troops move closer to the air base, potentially bringing it within range of shorter-range rockets like the American-made HIMARS.
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