Ukraine strikes Russia's Saky air base in occupied Crimea for second time in a week, SBU says
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Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) said on July 3 it had struck two Russian military air bases in occupied Crimea overnight, damaging or destroying at least seven military aircraft in its second reported attack on the Saky air base within a week.
According to the SBU, Ukrainian drones struck seven hangars at the Saky air base where Russia stores Su-30SM, Su-30, and Su-24 fighter and bomber aircraft. The agency said the strike destroyed or damaged at least seven aircraft.
The SBU also reported hitting two hangars at the Hvardiiske air base, where Russia stored Shahed attack drones and aviation equipment.
The agency described Saky and Hvardiiske as two of Russia's key military air bases in occupied Crimea, from which tactical aircraft regularly launch strikes against Ukraine and support Russian military operations on the southern front.
"The SBU continues to carry out the tasks assigned by the president of Ukraine and systematically reduce Russia's military potential," SBU chief Vasyl Maliuk said.
The Kyiv Independent couldn't independently verify the SBU's claims, which Moscow had not reacted to by the time of publication.
Ukrainian long-range drone strikes overnight on July 3 also struck a railway bridge across the Kurmanskyi (previously Krasnohvardiiskyi) Canal, a branch of the North Crimean Canal in the central part of Crimea, the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces reported. It said that Russia uses the bridge for military logistics, including the transport of troops, weapons, and ammunition, adding that the extent of the damage is being assessed.
The strikes come as Ukraine continues to expand its long-range drone campaign in Russia and the occupied territories.
The Unmanned Systems Forces said on July 3 that the number of successful strikes against targets in Russia has increased by 1,150% since the beginning of the year.
In June alone, Ukraine's Unmanned Systems Forces, together with other military units, reportedly destroyed or seriously damaged 172 Russian defense industry and fuel and energy facilities, as well as nearly 3,000 additional military targets.
The military added that occupied Crimea remains a key focus of Ukraine's long-range strike campaign.
