The Russian armed forces carried out a group strike against a parking location of Ukrainian military aircraft in Myrhorod in the Poltava Region, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Tuesday.
"The Russian armed forces carried out a group missile strike using the Iskander-M missile defense system on the parking lot of the Ukrainian military aircraft at the Myrhorod airfield. Objective control has confirmed the destruction of military aviation equipment," the statement read.
❗️The Russian forces carried out a group missile strike using the Iskander-M missile defense system at the Ukrainian parking lot at the Mirgorod airfield, Poltava region. As the result, five Su-27s were destroyed and two Su-27s were damaged, Russian Ministry of Defense said. pic.twitter.com/Xk3wlcon2L
— Sputnik (@SputnikInt) July 2, 2024
As a result of the Russian strike five active Su-27 mufti-purpose fighters were destroyed and two aircraft undergoing repair were damaged, the ministry clarified.
WATCH anti-tank mine used as hand grenade to blow up Ukrainian position
A video circulating on social media purportedly shows a daredevil Russian soldier using a 10kg anti-tank mine as a hand grenade to blow up a Ukrainian frontline position.
He approached a window and then tossed a heavy cylindrical object inside, before darting away. A powerful explosion occurred inside the building moments later, causing its collapse.
The weapon used in this unconventional manner is understood to have been a standard Soviet TM-62M anti-tank blast mine. The munition is basically an 8kg charge of high explosives packed into a metal hull and armed with a fuse.
It appears that the fuse was modified in the device used in the video footage, as it normally has an arming delay of at least 30 seconds before the mine is triggered by significant pressure or the presence of a large metal object nearby.
There have been previous reports of frontline troops using anti-tank mines as the payload on ground kamikaze drones, which are intended to sneak their devastating cargo under enemy vehicles.
WATCH Russian missile take out Ukrainian military helicopter
A Russian missile strike on an airfield in central Ukraine has destroyed a parked Mi-24 combat helicopter, the Defense Ministry in Moscow reported on Wednesday.
Tuesday’s strike on the Poltava airfield near the eponymous Ukrainian city involved an Iskander tactical missile, according to the statement. It said several vehicles used by the facility’s engineering staff were hit as well.
The ministry released drone footage from the location showing what appears to be the Ukrainian aircraft, and multiple explosions on the ground indicating the use of a cluster munition.
A similar Iskander attack earlier in the week destroyed and damaged seven Su-27 fighter jets at a different airfield in the same Ukrainian region, the Russian military previously reported.
The Poltava airfield is notable for its role in the destruction of a portion of the Soviet strategic bomber fleet and their weapons, which ended up on Ukrainian soil after the dissolution of the Soviet Union.
Some of the dozens of decommissioned aircraft were not scrapped, but rather left at the location as part of an open-air museum, which can be seen in the video.
Watch Russian T-72B3M Tank Pound Ukrainian Stronghold Near Avdeyevka
The T-72B3M is a modernized variant of the T-72B tank that is currently utilized by the Russian Armed Forces. This upgraded version is equipped with advanced armor, consisting of composite armor and explosive reactive armor, to enhance its defense against anti-tank missiles and other potential threats.
The Russian Defense Ministry has released footage showing a T-72B3M tank storming a Ukrainian military stronghold in the Avdeyevka area.
The ministry stated that the tank was maneuvered into a firing position to engage in direct fire. Their objective was to provide support for the Russian assault troops. Upon nearing the Ukrainian fortifications, the crew targeted the Kiev regime's forces with 125-millimeter high-explosive shells, effectively destroying machine gun emplacements and fortifications.
Russian Weapons Specialists Thoroughly Examine Fuze of ATACMS Missile
Russian specialists thoroughly studied the multi-component fuze of the US ATACMS tactical ballistic missile, an expert said.
"This warhead was developed for an anti-ship missile, and was later installed on the ATACMS missile. We neutralized the fuze. An intermediate detonator is installed on it. The explosives have been sent for examination," the expert said.
The specialists also managed to open the fuze housing of the missile, he added. "It has been almost completely examined. There are no secrets left for us," the expert said.
The United States began providing ATACMS ballistic missiles to Ukraine in 2023. The missiles are manufactured by Lockheed Martin and have a caliber of 610 millimeters, a length of 4 meters, and a weight of 1.6 tonnes. The flight range of the Block 1 modification is 165 kilometers (102 miles).