Russian air base in Tver Oblast attacked by drones, media reports
Editor's Note: This is a developing story and is being updated.
Russia's Migalovo Air Base in Tver Oblast came under attack by drones overnight on May 25, the Russian independent news channel Astra reported.
Locals reported that drones were targeting the air base and that explosions occurred in the area. Tver Oblast Governor Igor Rudenya confirmed that air defense units had intercepted unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in the area.
Rudenya claimed that five UAVs were shot down but reported no damage or casualties. He did not mention the Migalovo airfield. Later in the night he said that three more drones were shot down in the area and that air defense was active over Tver.
The Kyiv Independent could not independently verify these reports.
The Migalovo military airfield is located on the outskirts of Tver, over 1,300 kilometers (807 miles) from the Ukrainian border. The facility is a base for military transport aircraft, including the Ilyushin Il-76.
Ukraine has previously targeted Russian air bases in drone attacks, aiming to undermine Moscow's ability to carry out large-scary aerial assaults against Ukrainian cities. In March, Ukrainian drones successfully hit Russia's Engels-2 air base in Saratov Oblast.
Kyiv has also launched several strikes against targets in Tver Oblast. In January and February, Ukraine struck the Andreapol oil pumping station in the region twice in two weeks. Previous targets have included ammunition depots and missile arsenals.
The latest reported attack on Tver Oblast came as Russia launched a large-scale aerial assault on Kyiv and cities across Ukraine. For the second night in a row, Moscow barraged Kyiv with drones and missiles, injuring civilians.
Explosions were reported in cities across the country as attacks continued throughout the night.
As Russia intensifies aerial attacks on Ukraine and the civilian death toll climbs, Ukraine has stepped up its drone attacks on Russian territory. The recent surge in drone strikes aims to disrupt airport operations, overwhelm air defenses, and mount pressure against the Russian population.
Read also: Ukrainian drones shot down near Moscow as Russia attacks Kyiv, official claims
We've been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
NATO urging Europe to ramp up air defenses fivefold in face of Russian threat, Bloomberg reports
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) is urging European member nations to increase their ground-based air defense capacities by five times in order to mount a more effective response to the threat of Russian aggression, Bloomberg reported on June 3, citing sources familiar with the matter. The reported request is NATO's latest bid to shore up European security amid heightened tensions with Russia and an increasingly uncertain U.S. commitment to Europe's defense. NATO defense ministers will discuss the air defense boost at a gathering in Brussels on June 5, sources told Bloomberg on the condition of anonymity. A number of proposed defense increases are on the agenda for the meeting, which will set the stage for the NATO summit in The Hague on June 24-25. The air defense target is a collective goal for NATO's European members, with varying levels from individual states, sources said. The timeframe for the fivefold increase is not yet clear. According to one senior European military official, NATO members face a shortage of ground-based air-defense systems to protect against drones, missiles, and fighter jets, having shifted away from these systems after the end of the Cold War. "We are not at war, but we're not at peace either," NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said during the Vilnius summit of the Bucharest Nine (B9) and the Nordic countries on June 2. "We must continue to strengthen our deterrence and defense and that means pivoting toward a full war-fighting readiness." Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 prompted European countries to hike defense spending in order to revive their military capabilities following decades of disarmament. Ukrainian and Western officials have sounded the alarm on Russia's threat to both NATO and Europe, warning that an open clash between Moscow and NATO could break out two to four years after the full-scale war against Ukraine ends. Read also: Ukraine war latest: Kyiv attacks Crimean bridge for 3rd time since beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion We've been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.

Epoch Times
an hour ago
- Epoch Times
White House Not Notified Before Drone Attack on Russian Bombers, Leavitt Confirms
WASHINGTON—President Donald Trump did not receive advance notification before Ukraine launched a drone swarm attack against Russian airfields, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters during a She noted 'he was not' notified and acknowledged that the incident raised concerns about domestic national security, given the stealthy nature of the operation that penetrated nearly 3,000 miles into Russian Arctic and Siberian territory.


Politico
2 hours ago
- Politico
Hegseth to skip Ukraine meeting at NATO headquarters
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth won't attend a Wednesday meeting of 50 defense ministers at NATO headquarters in Brussels that has been critical to coordinating military aid for Ukraine, marking the first time in three years an American defense secretary has skipped the meeting. The regular meetings of defense ministers from NATO and beyond have coordinated military aid to Ukraine, and have emerged as a key component for Western aid for Kyiv as it has battled Russian forces. The Trump administration has distanced itself from the group however, handing over leadership to the U.K. and Germany as President Donald Trump criticized Ukraine. Hegseth's absence appears to signal further softening of the Trump administration's relationship with Europe, and Ukraine. Hegseth will be in Brussels for Thursday's meeting of NATO defense ministers but his place at Wednesday's Ukraine Defense Contact Group will be taken by U.S. ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker, according to a defense official and two people familiar with their plans, all of whom were granted anonymity to discuss internal matters. The U.K. and Germany took over leadership of the group in February after Hegseth said the U.S. would no longer play a role in the monthly meetings established by then-Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin in April 2022 after the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine. Since that February meeting, U.K. Defense Minister John Healey, and Germany's defense chief, Boris Pistorius, have run the show, with Hegseth only attending virtually last month. The pair will chair Wednesday's meeting as well. The Trump administration is continuing to ship weapons and equipment to Ukraine under a $61 billion aid package established by former President Joe Biden. The Ukraine gathering of defense ministers comes three weeks before many of them will come together once again for NATO's annual summit being held in The Netherlands on June 24-25. Leaders from across the alliance will attend that two-day event, including president Trump, who will likely command an outsize presence as European leaders wait for the administration's Europe and Russia policies to come into focus. Ambassador Whitaker said last month that the U.S. will begin talks with allies later this year about potential troop withdrawals from Europe, but that nothing has been decided. But during his first visit to NATO in February, Hegseth warned that the American military presence in Europe was 'not forever,' a comment that sent ripples of concern throughout the alliance. During that meeting, Hegseth also admonished European leaders for not spending enough on defense and controversially laid down a series of preconditions for Ukraine to meet before entering into peace talks with Russia, including forgoing an invitation to join NATO and not asking for a return to its pre-invasion borders.