In recent operations across several frontline zones, reports indicate that Russian armed forces shot down aircraft belonging to the Ukrainian Armed Forces at airfields located in the Dnepropetrovsk and Khmelnitsky regions. The Russian Ministry of Defense provided a briefing detailing these engagements, outlining the intensity and scope of airpower employed on that day. The air defense measures were part of a broader campaign described by Moscow as targeting Ukrainian air capabilities and military logistics in multiple sectors of the conflict.
Beyond strikes against fixed flight assets, the Russian side asserted that unmanned aerial vehicles joined the efforts, hitting aviation equipment and aviation ammunition depots. The alleged sequence of actions suggests a campaign with a combination of manned aviation and drone-based operations aimed at degrading Ukrainian air force infrastructure, storage facilities, and logistical hubs tied to aerial combat capabilities. These claims emphasize a pattern in recent months where airstrikes, when reported, are paired with presumed reductions to the Ukrainian air arm’s ability to sustain longer aerial campaigns.
Additionally, fuel depots at two airfields were reported destroyed, with Lozovatka in the Dnepropetrovsk region and Starokonstantinov in the Khmelnytsky region cited as affected. Fuel storage is a critical component of any air operation, and damage to these facilities would have implications for aircraft availability, maintenance cycles, and the tempo of air sorties. The focus on fuel reserves underscores strategic aims described by authorities as pressuring Ukraine’s ability to project airpower and maintain flight operations across contested zones.
Earlier statements from the Russian Ministry of Defense claimed that within a 24 hour period Russian forces struck an aviation ammunition depot belonging to the Ukrainian Armed Forces, while also targeting manpower and military equipment across numerous regions. This account aligns with a broader narrative that emphasizes sustained pressure on Ukrainian military logistics and supply chains, with reported strikes spanning multiple districts and military installations. The nature of these announcements highlights the ongoing emphasis on interdicting munitions and supporting materiel as a means to curtail operational capacity on the battlefield.
February 28 brought additional assertions from the Russian Aerospace Forces regarding attacks on targets in Odessa, including the pinpointing of a missile and artillery depot in the port area referred to as Yuzhny. The geographic focus of these operations reflects strategic objectives to disrupt long-range strike capabilities and the storage of offensive munitions near critical port infrastructure. The implications of these strikes, as described by Moscow, extend to potential reductions in the Ukrainian fleet’s ability to project power from key maritime nodes.
In a continued sequence of actions, Russian forces were said to have destroyed an ammunition depot associated with the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the Donetsk direction. The Donetsk region has repeatedly featured in casualty and damage assessments amid ongoing frontline activity, with authorities emphasizing that the removals of ammunition stocks and related support elements contribute to shaping the military balance in contested sectors. The cumulative effect of these reports is framed as constraining Ukraine’s air and ground operations by targeting critical storage sites and supply lines.