The drones that attacked a military airfield in Pskov on August 30 were launched from Russian territory.
This was said by the head of the Ukrainian Military Intelligence Service (HUR), Kyrylo Budanov, on August 31, according to The Kyiv Independent told The War Zone media portal. “We work from the territory of Russia,” Budanov stated, without saying how many drones were used. Budanov did not disclose whether the HUR agents were working inside Russia or using the help of Russians opposed to their country’s invasion of Ukraine. The War Zone also obtained video footage from an intelligence source of the infrared camera of one of the drones used in the attack.
Attack on Pskov was part of a massive wave
The accuracy of the attack indicates that the bombs were dropped by one or more drones that were remotely controlled by a pilot. This means that the weapon was operated by a pilot. “This would fit with Budanov’s statements that this was an attack inside Russia, probably near the base, and not an attack with autonomous long-range drones,” the War Zone article continues. Four Russian Il-76 aircraft were destroyed at the airfield, and two others were likely damaged, HUR spokesman Andrii Yuzov confirmed Aug. 30. The attack on Pskov was part of a massive wave of drone strikes on Russian territory and Russian-occupied Crimea during the night of Aug. 30, Russian media reported. According to Russian authorities, drones were shot down over Bryansk, Oryol, Kaluga, Ryazan, and Moscow regions.
Image: kremlin.ru, Совещание по развитию дальневосточных городов (2023-03-14) 01, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (image size modified).