Ukrainian drones strike deep in Russian territory, Moscow says, while a barrage in Kyiv kills two

Ukraine sent waves of drones deep into western Russia in more than four hours of nighttime attacks that struck military assets, Russian officials and media reports said

Ukraine sent waves of drones deep into western Russia in more than four hours of nighttime attacks that struck military assets, Russian officials and media reports said on August 30.

The drones hit an airport near Russia’s border with Estonia and Latvia, causing a huge blaze and damaging four Il-76 military transport planes, the Russian state news agency Tass reported, citing emergency officials.

With at least six regions targeted, the barrage appeared to be the most extensive Ukrainian drone attack on Russian soil since the war began 18 months ago, although no injuries were reported. The Kremlin has repeatedly accused Ukraine of cross-border incursions on the Belgorod region of Russia and of launching drones toward Moscow.

There was no immediate comment from Ukrainian officials, who usually don't claim attacks inside Russia. The Kremlin’s forces, meanwhile, hit Kyiv with drones and missiles during the night in what Ukrainian officials called a “massive, combined attack” that killed two people.

Aerial attacks on Russia have escalated recently as Ukraine pursues a counteroffensive. Kyiv increasingly targets Russia’s military assets behind the front lines in eastern and southern Ukraine.

Ukraine has also claimed to have used naval drones against Russian ships in the Black Sea. Ukrainian media said Kyiv saboteurs used drones last week to hit bomber aircraft parked at air bases deep inside Russia.

The airport in the Pskov region, about 700 kilometers (400 miles) north of the Ukrainian border and 700 kilometers (400 miles) west of Moscow, suffered the most damage in the overnight attacks.