CNN —Ukrainian forces appear to have stepped up their efforts to weaken Russian air superiority in the war by attacking bases that house supersonic warplanes deep inside Russian territory. Over the weekend, Russia’s defense ministry said another Ukrainian drone hit the Soltsy military airfield in the Novgorod region, also hundreds of kilometers north of Ukraine. The Shaykovka military air base operates Tupolev Tu-22M3 supersonic long-range bombers that have been used by Russia to strike targets in Ukraine since the start of its full-scale invasion last year. Degrading moraleThe attack on Monday was the second strike against a Russian air base housing powerful hardware in just three days. Ukrainian media reported that attacks on Russian bases over the past few days have destroyed several aircraft including two bombers, citing unnamed Ukrainian defense intelligence officials.

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Persons: Shaykovka, Andriy Yusov, Yusov, Tupolev, YURI KADOBNOV, Baza –, –, ” Mash, Vladislav Shapsha, ” Organizations: CNN, Ukrainian, Kyiv, Tupolev, Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence, Main Directorate of Intelligence, Ukraine’s Defense Ministry, Getty, Russian Telegram, Russia’s Defense, Planet Labs, for, Russian Ministry of Defense Locations: Ukrainian, Novgorod, Ukraine, Netherlands, Denmark, Russia, Russia’s Kaluga, AFP, Russian, Kirov, Soltsy, Washington