Ukrainian Long-Planned Operation Wipes Out Shahed Launch Complex in Donetsk, Video

Ukrainian forces destroyed a Russian Shahed drone storage, assembly, and launch base inside the occupied Donetsk airport in an overnight precision strike, following months of intelligence gathering, according to Commander Robert “Madyar” Brovdi, head of Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces, on November 6.

Madyar released a video showing the strike and confirmed that the mission was a joint operation involving Special Operations Forces (SSO), Rocket Forces and Artillery, and the 414th Brigade’s reconnaissance unit, known as the “Madyar’s Birds.”

“It was a storage, assembly, and launch base for Shaheds (Donetsk airport, temporarily occupied territory). It was,” Brovdi wrote.

“The development of this complex target became a months-long painstaking intelligence operation, assembled from small puzzle pieces; tonight it was executed by the appropriate strike assets of the SSO and Rocket Forces of the Defense Forces.”

The video shared by Brovdi shows explosions ripping through the compound, followed by a massive fire and secondary blasts, suggesting the presence of fuel and munitions used for Iranian-made Shahed drones.

Ukrainian officials described the target as a logistics hub for storing and preparing suicide drones, which Russia has used extensively to strike Ukrainian cities and infrastructure.

Earlier, a large fire broke out at the Lukoil-Volgogradneftepererabotka oil refinery in southern Russia following a drone attack on the facility.

The refinery, one of Russia’s largest, is located in the Krasnoarmeysky district of Volgograd. Residents reported explosions, anti-air fire, and a column of smoke rising from the refinery complex. Videos posted on social media appeared to show flames burning across part of the facility.

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