Satellite imagery has confirmed substantial damage to Russia’s drone infrastructure at the Primorsko-Akhtarsk airbase following a Ukrainian strike last week, according to a report by Ukraine’s geospatial intelligence project Cyber Boroshno.
The nighttime drone attack, conducted between August 1 – 2, targeted one of Russia’s most active long-range UAS launch sites. Analysts say the strike resulted in confirmed hits on three structures used to store Iranian-designed Shahed drones, commonly deployed in Russia’s long-range attack campaigns against Ukraine.
“High activity by cargo vehicles and UAVs was observed around these buildings,” researchers noted, citing satellite photos obtained in the aftermath.
The strike also inflicted critical damage on a separate facility used for storing and preparing aerial munitions. Fires were recorded across multiple parts of the base, including one of the primary launch pads used for drone operations. The extent of the damage suggests a significant disruption to ongoing drone sorties from the site.
Primorsko-Akhtarsk, located in Russia’s Krasnodar region, primarily hosts tactical aviation but has evolved into a strategic drone launch platform. In recent years, Moscow has constructed dedicated infrastructure at the site, referred to by Ukrainian analysts as a “droneport,” consisting of three compact zones used for the storage, preparation and launch of UAVs.
Eight fixed launch systems have been identified at the airbase by geospatial analyst Dnipro, alongside an adjacent airstrip used for mobile drone launches from vehicles.
To protect the installation, Russian forces have deployed an S-400 air defense system consisting of six launchers and two radar stations. However, according to local media and satellite assessments, the system failed to intercept the Ukrainian drones responsible for the August 1 – 2 strike.
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Expanded drone network
Primorsko-Akhtarsk is one of several key locations used by Russia to launch long-range UAVs. Ukrainian analysts have identified two other major droneports within Russian territory.
One of the largest is located near the village of Tsymbulovo in the Oryol region, approximately 175 kilometers from the Ukrainian border. This site, considered Russia’s main hub for drone operations, features eight fixed launchers, a 2.8-kilometer stretch of road used for mobile launches and at least 15 hardened bunkers. One of those bunkers was previously destroyed in a Ukrainian strike using British-supplied Storm Shadow cruise missiles.
Another site, near Navlya in the Bryansk region, is smaller in scale but follows a similar structure. While it lacks fixed launchers, the facility hosts three bunkers for drone storage and operates entirely on vehicle-based deployments.
Earlier reports also indicated that Russian forces have established a reconnaissance drone production facility in Russian-occupied Luhansk.
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Post Image – Satellite imagery provided by Cyber Boroshno confirms damaged facilities at the Russian “droneport” (Post Image Credit: Cyber Boroshno)
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