Ukraine’s military carried out a targeted airstrike on a Russian drone launch site near Tetkino, a village in Russia’s Kursk Oblast, on April 19, the Ukrainian General Staff reported on April 21.
The attack reportedly killed up to 20 Russian drone operators. According to Ukraine’s military, the site was used to prepare, arm, and launch various types of drones, including reconnaissance, strike, and FPV (first-person-view) drones.
Russian forces have been using drones extensively in the war. Hundreds of drones are launched into Ukraine almost every night, often striking civilian targets and critical infrastructure.
“Our strike is a direct response to Russia’s actions against the Ukrainian army,” the General Staff said. “No war crime will go unpunished.”
This Ukrainian strike comes amid continued Russian resistance to a ceasefire plan supported by the United States. President Volodymyr Zelensky proposed a 30-day ban on long-range drone and missile strikes targeting civilian areas. The Kremlin has rejected the idea.
Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced an Easter truce on April 19, claiming Russian troops would pause combat over the holiday weekend. However, President Zelensky said Russia violated the truce roughly 3,000 times.
