The Shaikovka airfield, where Russian nuclear-capable Tu-22 strategic bombers are based, was attacked by a Ukrainian drone. This was announced by the Governor of the Kaluga region Vladislav Shapsha.
“Today, an explosion occurred at the Shaikovka military airfield in the Kaluga region. A drone, presumably flown in from the border, fell. There were no casualties. The airfield infrastructure and equipment were not damaged. There is no threat to work. An investigative-operational group is working on the spot to establish the causes and circumstances of the incident.”
The Shaikovka airbase, located 200 kilometers from the eastern border with Ukraine, is home to the 52nd Guards Heavy Bomber Aviation Regiment (several dozen Tu-22M3s). In March 2021, three Tu-22M3 pilots died there due to an abnormal operation of the ejection system.
In June 2022, the Air Force Command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that Tu-22Ms were lifted from Shaikovka, which hit the shopping center in Kremenchug with Kh-22 missiles.
Previously, explosions occurred at other military airfields in Russia. In particular, at the Belbek airfield in Crimea, where the authorities also announced enemy drones shot down by air defense. And also at the airfield in the Crimean Novofedorovka, where the official cause of the explosions was the "detonation of ammunition." In Novofedrovka, judging by satellite images, more than ten Su-24M and Su-30SM fighters were destroyed.
