Key facts
- Ukraine's 15th Artillery Reconnaissance Brigade struck a Russian MiG-29 fighter jet and a Pantsir-S1 air defense system at the Khalino airfield in Kursk Oblast.
- The strikes are intended to degrade Russia's ability to protect military sites and its capacity to wage war.
- Other Russian military targets struck included a radar station, logistics warehouses, and drone command posts.
- Fires were reported at industrial facilities in Lipetsk, Russia, following unconfirmed overnight attacks.
- Russian attacks across Ukraine in the past day resulted in at least 10 deaths and 87 injuries.
Ukraine's military conducted strikes on Russian assets in Kursk Oblast on July 21, targeting a MiG-29 fighter jet and a Pantsir-S1 air defense system at the Khalino airfield. The General Staff of Ukraine stated that the operation, carried out by the 15th Artillery Reconnaissance Brigade, aimed to diminish Russia's capability to defend its military sites and sustain its war effort.
The Pantsir-S1 is a key modern Russian air defense system, estimated to cost between $15 million and $20 million, used for protecting military installations and countering drones. The MiG-29 is a fighter jet utilized for air defense and other combat missions.
In addition to the Khalino airfield strikes, Ukrainian forces reportedly hit a Bussol-S radar station near Khorly in occupied Kherson Oblast, a logistics warehouse in Donetsk Oblast, an ammunition depot in Luhansk Oblast, and another logistics site in Russia's Kursk Oblast. Drone command posts in Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia Oblasts were also targeted.
Separately, fires erupted at industrial facilities in the Russian city of Lipetsk overnight, with unconfirmed reports of an attack. Lipetsk Regional Governor Igor Artamonov confirmed a fire at industrial facilities, with local monitoring channels suggesting the blaze was near the Novolipetsk Steel plant and a combined heat and power plant. Russia claimed its forces shot down 209 Ukrainian drones overnight over Russia, occupied Crimea, the Black Sea, and the Sea of Azov.
Ukraine's Presidential Office welcomed the visit of U.S. social media influencer Laura Loomer, an ally of Donald Trump, stating that firsthand experience is the best antidote to Russian propaganda. Loomer acknowledged that her earlier views on Ukraine were influenced by Russian propaganda and that her visit was an opportunity to verify facts on the ground.
Meanwhile, Russian attacks across seven Ukrainian oblasts over the past day resulted in at least 10 deaths and 87 injuries, with significant damage to residential areas. The city of Sumy experienced repeated strikes, including a double-tap attack on a residential building and a shopping center.