Ukraine's attack on Russia's Kushchevskaya airfield forced the enemy to disperse about 40 aircraft, affecting Russia's future combat missions, according to the British Ministry of Defense.
"The Ukrainian attack on the Russian airfield Kushchevskaya has likely contributed to approximately 40 aircraft of different types being removed from the area and dispersed to multiple airfields further from the frontline," British intelligence reports.
The impact of the attack on the airfield may not be immediately apparent. However, Ukraine has demonstrated the ability to strike much further into the Russian territory.
The dispersal means that Russia will have to increase the time of flights to maintain the same constant presence over the battlefield.
"This will in turn require more fuel, increasing cost, while also placing more strain on the aircrews," the intelligence says.
Strike on Kushchevskaya air base
A drone strike on the Kushchevskaya air base was carried out on April 27. The Security Service of Ukraine organized the attack in cooperation with the Defense Forces.
The released footage shows that the UAVs attacked a warehouse of aerial bomb control modules. The modules are used to produce guided aerial bombs from conventional bombs.