Ukraine says Neptune missiles struck Russian airfield; aircraft damage reports differ
In short
Ukraine said it used Neptune missiles to attack a military airfield in Russia's Voronezh region early on October 15. Reports differed on the aircraft losses: early accounts said six Su-34M aircraft were destroyed, Xinhua said six were damaged, and a later report quoted President Volodymyr Zelenskyy saying four Su-34s were destroyed and two hit.
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Ukraine's navy said it attacked the Borisoglebsk military airfield in Russia's Voronezh region with Neptune shore-based missiles early on October 15. CLS and Jiemian reported the navy's claim that six Su-34M fighter-bombers and some equipment supporting flight operations were destroyed. They also reported secondary explosions and fires, while noting that details were still being verified. [ 1 , 3 ]
The descriptions of aircraft losses differ. Xinhua's October 15 report said the navy described six parked Su-34M aircraft as damaged and flight-support equipment as destroyed. In a report published early on October 16, CLS quoted President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as saying on October 15 that the Neptune strike destroyed four Su-34 aircraft and hit another two at an airfield in Voronezh region. [ 4 , 5 ]
Why it matters
Ukrainian accounts describe strikes on Russian combat aircraft and equipment supporting flight operations. The supplied reports give differing descriptions of the damage, leaving the precise losses unclear.
Key facts
- Ukraine's navy said Neptune shore-based missiles struck the Borisoglebsk military airfield early on October 15. [ 1 , 3 , 4 ]
- CLS and Jiemian initially reported a Ukrainian claim that six Su-34M aircraft were destroyed. [ 1 , 3 ]
- Xinhua described six aircraft as damaged, while a later CLS report quoted Zelenskyy saying four Su-34s were destroyed and two hit. [ 4 , 5 ]
Confirmed by several sources
Still unclear
- The precise aircraft losses are unclear. Reports variously describe six Su-34M aircraft as destroyed or damaged, while Zelenskyy's later account says four Su-34s were destroyed and two hit.