Ukraine Reportedly Strikes Russian Airbase Linked to Kinzhal Missile Operations as Samara Comes Under Attack

KUALA LUMPUR, AUGUST 2026 — Ukrainian forces reportedly struck Russia’s Savasleyka military airbase in Nizhny Novgorod Oblast overnight on August 15, targeting a facility associated with MiG-31 fighter jets capable of launching Kinzhal ballistic missiles.

Monitoring channels reported explosions and fires near the airbase following the attack. Savasleyka is located about 660 kilometres from Ukraine, making the reported strike another example of Kyiv’s growing ability to target military infrastructure deep inside Russian territory.

Separate explosions were also reported in the Russian city of Samara, around 800 kilometres from the Ukrainian border. Monitoring channels claimed Ukrainian missiles were involved, although those details have not been independently verified.

Samara Oblast Governor Vyacheslav Fedorishchev confirmed that missiles struck an industrial facility in the region but did not identify the exact site. Authorities were still assessing possible casualties and the scale of damage.

One monitoring channel also claimed that a major Russian aerospace design and production facility may have been hit during the attack. However, the report stressed that details surrounding the strikes could not immediately be independently confirmed.

The reported operation comes amid continued Russian missile attacks on Ukrainian cities. On August 11, strikes involving ballistic and cruise missiles hit Zaporizhzhia and Kyiv, killing seven workers at the Zaporizhstal steel plant and injuring others, according to Ukrainian authorities.

Ukraine has increasingly targeted Russian airbases, oil facilities, ports and other military-linked infrastructure in an effort to weaken Moscow’s ability to sustain its war. On August 14, Ukrainian forces said they struck the Ust-Luga port in Leningrad Oblast, damaging processing facilities and causing a fire.

The previous night, Ukraine also reported hitting the Gazprom Neftekhim Salavat refinery complex in Bashkortostan, continuing a campaign against Russian energy and logistics infrastructure.