Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed the preliminary results of strikes by the Ukrainian Defense Forces, specifically the destruction of a Russian Su-24M frontline bomber at the "Saki" airbase in occupied Crimea. According to him, four units of airfield equipment were also damaged in the same area. This is reported by RBC-Ukraine citing the head of state, while UNIAN, Charter97, and other publications have cross-checked the information. The loss of yet another combat aircraft in Crimea continues a series of incidents where Russian aviation loses equipment on the ground.

Strike on Saki Airbase: Su-24M Destroyed

The key result of the night strikes, according to Zelenskyy, was the damage to the Su-24M bomber at the "Saki" site. This aircraft type is used by the Russian Aerospace Forces for delivering air strikes and adjusting fire, so its destruction on the ground reduces the operational capabilities of the air force in the region. Along with the aircraft, according to the President, four units of airfield equipment were put out of commission, indicating an attempt to strike not only the plane but also the servicing and deployment infrastructure. Some Ukrainian media outlets, including Gazeta.ua, accompanied the report with footage from the strike site, although independent international verification is not provided in the sources.

Repeaters and Drone Infrastructure in the Crosshairs

In addition to aviation, Ukrainian forces, according to Zelenskyy, destroyed repeaters in the Bryansk region. The President emphasized that these devices were used by Russian troops to control drones attacking Ukrainian cities and villages. Strikes on repeater infrastructure logically fit into previously recorded events: on August 12, a repeater for controlling strike drones was damaged near the Chernomorsk airfield, and near Novofedorovka — the "Saki" control tower. Thus, the strike campaign is aimed not only at combat vehicles but also at the "nervous system" of drone attacks.

Long-Range Sanctions: Refineries and Logistics in the Rear

Zelenskyy stated that long-range strikes continue to limit Russia's military-economic potential. Within 24 hours, according to him, the Novokuibyshevsk Oil Refinery, located about 1,000 km from the front line, was damaged, as well as a logistics hub in the Samara region. Separate strikes were also carried out in the Black Sea area. On the night of August 22, according to additional data, two targets in the Samara region — the Novokuibyshevsk Oil Refinery and the OZON logistics hub — were hit by FP-1 drones, the Fire Point company announced. The combination of these strikes demonstrates an expansion of the geography of attacks on energy and logistics objects in the deep rear.

Chronology of Strikes on Crimea

The events of August 22 are not isolated: on August 12, the Ukrainian Defense Forces already launched a series of strikes on military objects on the temporarily occupied peninsula. At that time, the control tower of the "Saki" airfield was damaged in the Novofedorovka area, and near Chernomorsk — a repeater for controlling strike drones. The current destruction of the Su-24M and airfield equipment at the same "Saki" site looks like a continuation and deepening of the campaign to degrade the aviation infrastructure of Crimea, where Russian forces, according to Ukrainian data, suffer losses in equipment on the ground.

Contradictory Data

In the provided sources, the figures and facts regarding the destroyed Su-24M and four units of equipment converge, as they all rely on the statement by Volodymyr Zelenskyy. At the same time, it is important to note that the President called the results of the strikes "preliminary," and independent international verification and an official reaction from the Russian side are absent in the materials presented. Some publications (Gazeta.ua) refer to published videos from the strike site, which strengthens the evidence base, but final confirmation of the status of the damaged objects remains subject to further verification. Thus, the information is credible within the framework of the Ukrainian side's statement, but with the caveat of the preliminary nature of the data.