On the night of August 14, 2024, the Armed Forces of Ukraine carried out powerful strikes on Russian airfields, in particular on the air bases near Voronezh, Borysoglebsk and the Savasleyka base, located 650 km from the Ukrainian border. These strikes were aimed at hitting important objects of Russia's military infrastructure, which can significantly complicate the activities of the Russian aviation, in particular the carriers of hypersonic missiles "Dagger".
Savasleika air base as a key target
The Savasleyka airbase became one of the main targets of the Ukrainian strikes, because it is from this airfield that MiG-31K aircraft, which are carriers of the Kinzhal hypersonic missiles, most often take off. As a result of the attack, there was a well-founded hope that further departures of these planes would be significantly complicated.
As Defense Express reports, defense at the Savasleika Air Base is mostly provided by ZU-23-2 type anti-aircraft guns and machine guns, and more powerful anti-aircraft defenses have not been recorded. This made the air base vulnerable to air strikes.
Fires at the airfield and shortage of fuel for the MiG-31
The results of the strikes were significant. The NASA satellite service recorded a powerful fire in the area of unloading and storage of fuel and lubricant materials at the base. This could have serious consequences for Russia's aviation activity, since the MiG-31K uses a specific fuel - T-6 kerosene. This is a heavy thermostable fuel that allows you to perform supersonic flights at high altitudes. The loss or damage of this fuel supply will greatly complicate the flight of the MiG-31K and may limit their ability to launch Kinzhal missiles.
Prospects for the Ukrainian military
The destruction or damage of fuel tanks and infrastructure at the Savasleika Air Base calls into question the continued basing of MiG-31K aircraft there. Although Russia can move these aircraft to other airfields, this will certainly create additional difficulties for the enemy.
According to the NASA service, the attack caused significant fires, but did not record explosions or direct damage to the aircraft. This may be due to the use by Ukrainian drones of combat units with aerial detonation, which are ideal for destroying aircraft located in open areas. According to open data, Russia's MiG-31Ks are stored in the open air, and their protection was minimal.
