A significant Ukrainian attack struck a major Russian aircraft production facility overnight, causing one of Vladimir Putin’s laser-equipped planes to catch fire. The assault was so powerful that the site appeared to be glowing, reminiscent of a nuclear explosion aftermath. Reports indicate that the bulb-nosed A-60 aircraft was set ablaze during the strike on Taganrog, coinciding with intensified clashes between the two sides as crucial US-led peace negotiations were ongoing in Abu Dhabi.
NATO responded by dispatching four fighter jets as Russian drones targeted Ukraine’s Odesa region, breaching Romanian airspace. Russia carried out deadly attacks on civilians in Kyiv, resulting in the deaths of at least six individuals, including an elderly woman. Witnesses reported desperate cries for help following a Shahed drone attack that set a tower block ablaze and destroyed two hot water heating plants supplying homes. Furthermore, distressing footage showed a misfired Russian air defense missile hitting a residential building in Novorossiysk, where Ukrainian strikes also inflicted casualties.
The destructive events occurred amidst escalating peace efforts, with US Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll meeting with Ukrainian military intelligence officials and a Russian delegation in Abu Dhabi to address military-related aspects of the peace plan. Lt-Gen Kyrylo Budanov, a high-profile figure in Russia, was among the key figures involved in the discussions. The Ukrainian assault on Taganrog-Yuzhny airfield targeted the Beriev aircraft manufacturing plant, reportedly damaging an A-60 aircraft designed for laser weaponry, one of only two such planes in Russia’s fleet.
Unverified accounts suggest that a hangar housing a Tu-95MS strategic bomber undergoing a £36 million modernization was hit during the attack. Witnesses described a scene akin to a nuclear explosion. The plant, utilized for maintaining Putin’s specialized aircraft like the Ilyushin Il-80 Maxdome ‘Doomsday’ plane, also experienced a fire near the runway. The night assault resulted in three fatalities and 11 injuries, with Ukrainian drones downing residential buildings.
Governor Veniamin Kondratyev labeled the attack as one of the most prolonged and extensive during the conflict. Shocking footage from Novorossiysk captured a glowing object crashing into a building, believed to be a malfunctioning Russian missile. Another clip depicted a drone, possibly jammed by electronic warfare technology, striking a residential tower and causing injuries. Attacks were also reported in Gelendzhik, Tuapse, and Kyiv, where key power plants were targeted, leading to citywide disruptions.
Russian officials criticized proposed modifications to the US peace plan, calling them unproductive. Additionally, Russian strikes hit the Odesa region, with a drone allegedly breaching Romanian airspace, prompting a NATO response. The Romanian air force confirmed the deployment of fighters to monitor the incursion. The situation remains under close observation, with the air force asserting its right to intercept Russian drones within its jurisdiction.