In the early hours of October 15, the Naval Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine carried out a successful long-range operation, striking the Russian military airfield Borisoglebsk in the Voronezh region. The missile strike, executed using the Ukrainian Neptune system, successfully destroyed and disabled enemy bombers that were preparing for new strikes against Ukrainian territory.
Attack details and destroyed equipment
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy shared details of the nighttime operation against the Russian military infrastructure object via his Telegram channel. According to updated data from the Ukrainian leadership, the precision strikes destroyed four Su-34 bombers, while another two aircraft sustained heavy damage. The occupying army actively used these specific aircraft to launch terror attacks with guided aerial bombs against peaceful Ukrainian cities and defense positions.
The head of state emphasized that the targeted aircraft were already fully loaded with aerial bombs to carry out new combat sorties. In addition to the jets themselves, the strike on the Borisoglebsk airfield obliterated critical ground equipment responsible for maintaining and operating Russian military aviation. Massive fires and secondary detonations of ammunition depots were recorded at the facility following the impacts.
Expanding the geography of long-range operations
Beyond the airfield in the Voronezh region, Ukrainian forces deployed long-range strike capabilities against other military targets within the Russian Federation. Specifically, effective strikes were conducted against storage and launch sites for attack drones in the Oryol region. Reports also confirmed the successful engagement of a separate strategic target in the Black Sea waters.
The military command and country leadership highlighted the systemic nature of such proportionate responses to ongoing Russian terror. Since official Moscow deliberately drags out hostilities and refuses to halt its aggression, Ukraine intends to further scale up the volume and intensity of its own long-range operations.
Significance of the operation for the course of the conflict
The successful deployment of the modified Neptune missile system against a Russian air base far from the border demonstrates a qualitative leap in the capabilities of Ukraine’s defense industry and military. Eliminating expensive frontline Su-34 bombers significantly reduces the offensive potential of Russian aviation across key frontline sectors. Such operations shift the balance of power in the skies and force the adversary to relocate surviving hardware deeper into its own territory, complicating logistics and preparation for new aerial assaults.
