After the Ukrainian Air Force received at least 86 F-16 fighters from the Netherlands, Denmark and Norway on August 23 --- 27, the military airport in Pskov Oblast, Russia, suffered the largest drone attack since the start of the Russian-Ukrainian war.
The Il-76 transport plane destroyed by a drone is worth more than $30 million
Suicide drone strikes resulted in the loss of at least four large Il-76 military transport aircraft, as well as a fire in a military fuel depot.
On August 30, Moscow time, Russian official media, Russian Satellite News Agency officially admitted:
At 23:28 local time on August 29, the military airport of Pskov Region was subjected to an intensive attack by "at least 20 drones", which has caused several military Il-76 large military transport aircraft to catch fire, in addition, the fuel depot was also hit and ignited.
Military fuel depots were hit, fire broke out
The report did not disclose the casualties caused, and the drone attack was the most damaging drone attack on Russian mainland since the outbreak of the Russian-Ukrainian war in February last year.
According to Russian media reports, of the four Il-76 large military transport planes that caught fire, 2 of them were completely burned after being directly hit by drones, and the other 2 were also severely damaged, "the situation is very serious."
As of the time the Russian media released the news, the fuel depot fire near the military airport was still burning, and the military airport was completely closed.
The Il-76, which burned out almost completely
The attack on the Russian mainland Pskov Oblast attracted the attention of the Russian official high-level because the region is 800 kilometers away from the Ukrainian border, and the territory of Ukraine does not directly border the Russian Pskov region.
Therefore, until now, the Ukrainian military has not directly responded to this matter, which is very inconsistent with the consistent practice of the Ukrainian military.
This attack on the military airfield of the Russian Pskov region is very aimed at Russia, revealing at least 3 very dangerous signals:
Russian state media reports officially acknowledged the attack
Red Flag 1: There is no doubt that NATO's intelligence agencies, led by the United States, must have provided intelligence and data navigation support and intended to continue to consume Russia.
The Ukrainian military does not have the ability to strike at military airfields 800 kilometers in the heart of Russia, especially military transport aircraft parked on the tarmac.
Unless NATO provides reliable intelligence, accurate military navigation data and electronic maps, which is the NATO bloc's strength.
The U.S. 82nd Airborne Division deployed in Romania
The US-led NATO bloc currently has hundreds of military reconnaissance satellites and spy satellites over Ukraine, with resolution to centimeter-level military reconnaissance methods, which can provide real-time battlefield intelligence 24 hours a day.
Ukraine itself can produce or modify suicide drones, such as the Soviet-era TU144 "Swift" reconnaissance drone, which can be modified to mount the warhead, which can perform attack missions.
Figure 144, Swift drone
It can also produce suicide drones including Beaver and UJ-22, which can fly according to a predetermined route, or manually manipulate to remotely fly, select targets and attack.
However, all of this requires the support of intelligence and military navigation data, which the Ukrainian military does not have.
Since it can accurately hit the military transport aircraft on the tarmac of the military airport 800 kilometers away, there is no doubt that the United States must have participated in the attack and provided the most critical navigation data support.
UJ-22 UAVs of Ukraine's own production
Therefore, it is also very likely that the United States will continue to participate in the future, and it will become normal to attack Moscow in the future.
Red flag 2: Russia's internal air defense is worrying, from the capital Moscow to military airports, it has been hit by drones, and the scope and number are increasing.
The Russian-Ukrainian war has exposed that Russia's native air defense system is very worrying, and this situation has not improved, it has intensified.
Captured drones that attacked Moscow
This shows that either the air defense system has fatal flaws, or there are major problems with the internal management of the air defense forces, or there are internal ghosts lurking in Russia itself.
In November last year, the Ryazan Air Force Airport and Engels Air Force Airport in Russia were hit by drones, resulting in serious damage to two TU-22 strategic bombers and three deaths on the ground;
On May 6 this year, less than 3 days before May 9, "Victory Day in Russia", 2 drones attacked the Kremlin, the highest Russian power body, also Putin's office;
Drones on the Kremlin dome, blowing up
June to the end of July was the culmination of a wave of drone strikes, including military and commercial establishments in the Moscow metropolitan area.
This time it was another wave of "at least 20 drones" attack, the largest number and the most damage.
This shows that the methods of attacks and the detection of the Russian mainland have become more and more sophisticated, and it cannot be ruled out that there are hidden ghosts and agents in Russia to assist.
In addition, it also shows that there are huge loopholes in Russia's air defense system, and if this serious problem is not solved quickly, such attacks will occur again in the later stage.
Ukrainian UAVs, ready for launch
Red Flag 3: It is likely that this attack was not carried out by Ukraine, but most likely from NATO countries, Latvia, Estonia and even Lithuania, which are also extremely Russophobic.
Judging by the map, launching an attack on the Pskov region of Russia mainland from the territory of Ukraine is not a very wise choice.
Ukraine is too far from the target of the attack
Because of the need to cross other states of Russia or even Belarus itself, this leads to the risk of being picked up, and the Ukrainian military, contrary to its norm, did not actively admit that the attack was its own responsibility.
Therefore, it is very likely that the attack was launched from Latvia or Estonia, less than 100 kilometers from Pskov Oblast.
If this is the case, then the military conflict will definitely expand, and Russia, which has suffered losses, will not give up and will definitely wait for the opportunity to retaliate against these two countries.
At present, although Prigozhin is dead, tens of thousands of Wagner mercenaries are still stationed in Belarus, which will be a great military threat to Latvia and Estonia.
Of course, another possibility is that there are hostile forces lurking in Russia that planned and carried out this attack, which is also entirely possible.
As early as last May, the Security Service of Ukraine planned to attack the Crimean bridge, using Ukrainian agents lurking in Russia.
Russian snipers
According to the national character of Russia, after suffering a loss this time, it will definitely take revenge, and the author estimates that another wave of "missile washing" of the cities in the heart of Ukraine.
With the Netherlands, Denmark and Norway providing at least 82 F-16 fighters, and Sweden pledging to provide no less than 20 Gripen fighters, the Ukrainian Air Force will have at least 100 4th generation fighters, which will be a huge challenge for Russia.
The continuous suicide drone attacks on cities in the Russian hinterland are a test of Russia's air defense system, and the next Russian response is very worthy of everyone's attention.
F-16 fighter