Ukraine says it put occupied Donetsk Airport under drone fire control, wrecking a Russian Shahed launch base
Ukraine's drone forces say they have wrecked Shahed launchers and logistics at the occupied airfield, hitting Russia's drone campaign at the launch site instead of in flight.
Ukraine's drone forces say they have wrecked Shahed launchers and logistics at the occupied airfield, hitting Russia's drone campaign at the launch site instead of in flight.
Ukraine's Unmanned Systems Forces said Thursday they had taken Russia's drone base at the occupied Donetsk Airport under "fire control," destroying Shahed launch pads, ammunition depots, fuel stations, cranes and vehicles, Ukrainska Pravda reported. The Kyiv Independent said it could not independently verify the claims.
Russia had used the airport, wrecked in the 2014-15 battles for Donetsk, as a logistics hub and a launch site for Shahed strike drones, the USF said. Its 14th regiment struck the runway, the launch crews and the supporting equipment, the Kyiv Independent reported.
"A decision was made to carry out systematic preemptive strikes that will disrupt enemy launches," said Serafym "Falcon" Hordiienko, the regiment officer who planned it. He called the campaign "the first such operation in modern history." The unit said it was also hunting mobile fire groups and air defense to force flight cancellations.
Ukraine has intercepted Shahed drones in flight for two years. The USF said these strikes instead hit the launch site, and that it could repeat the method at other occupied airfields. Russia fired 216 Shahed-type drones overnight, and air defenses downed 198, the Kyiv Independent said.
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Subscribe Free →Ukraine has released no independent damage assessment. Russia has not commented.
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Ukraine say it did at Donetsk Airport?
Ukraine's Unmanned Systems Forces said on June 4, 2026, that they took the occupied Donetsk Airport under "fire control," destroying Shahed launch pads, ammunition depots, fuel stations, cranes and vehicles, per Ukrainska Pravda.
Why does the airport matter?
Russia had used the airport, wrecked in the 2014-15 battles for Donetsk, as a logistics hub and a launch site for Shahed strike drones, the USF said, per the Kyiv Independent.
Why is this called a first?
Serafym "Falcon" Hordiienko, the USF 14th regiment officer who planned the operation, called it "the first such operation in modern history," describing a method of systematic preemptive strikes to disrupt enemy launches, per the Kyiv Independent.
How does this change Ukraine's drone defense?
For two years Ukraine has intercepted Shaheds in flight with drones and gun teams. Holding a launch airfield under drone fire control attacks the campaign before the drones take off, according to the USF's account reported by Ukrainska Pravda and the Kyiv Independent.
Has the claim been verified?
No. The Kyiv Independent said it could not independently verify the military's claims, Ukraine has released no independent damage assessment, and Russia has not commented.
AI-generated summary, reviewed by an editor. More on our AI guidelines.
Marcus Schuler
Marcus Schuler edits BattlePolicy, a daily defense-technology brief connecting the companies and capabilities behind modern war to the contest among Europe, the US, Russia, and China.