Ukrainian drones damage strategic bomber at northern Russian airfield: Source

Ukrainian attack drones damaged a Russian Tu-22M3 strategic bomber at a military airfield in northern Russia, a military intelligence source told Reuters on Saturday.

The source said a long-range TU-22M3 supersonic bomber was hit at the Olenya military airfield near Olenegorsk in northern Russia.

The airfield, from which Russian strategic planes take off to launch missile attacks on Ukraine, is 1,800 kilometers (1,100 miles) from the Ukrainian border, Ukrainian media outlet Ukrainska Pravda reported.

Ukrainska Pravda reported that in further attacks on Russia, a military airfield in the city of Engels in the Saratov region, and Dyagilevo in the Ryazan region were attacked. A drone also hit an oil refinery in Ryazan.

Reuters could not independently confirm the reports.

Ukraine makes extensive use of long-range drones, which are virtually the only weapons that can hit military facilities deep inside Russia.

Russian oil refineries and military facilities are regularly targeted by Ukrainian drones.

Russia’s Tuapse oil refinery, its biggest on the Black Sea, was damaged in a major Ukrainian drone attack on Monday which sparked a fire, Russian officials said.