Drone strike causes fire at Marinovka Air Base in Russia’s Volgograd

NASA FIRMS showing Marinovka Air Base

NASA

A fire broke out following a drone strike at the Marinovka Air Base in Russia’s Volgograd region. Marinovka is located 275 kilometers (170 miles) east of the Ukrainian border. 

According to regional governor Andrei Bocharov, the Russian air defense forces managed to intercept and destroy most of the attacking drones during the night of August 22, 2024. However, at least one drone made it through the defenses, crashing and causing a fire on the airfield premises. 

Satellite imagery from NASA’s Fire Information for Resource Management System, FIRMS, confirmed the presence of multiple fires at the airfield following the attack.  

Satellite imagery from NASA’s Fire Information for Resource Management System, FIRMS

Images taken days before the attack show that approximately 30 tactical bombers were stationed at the base. The base is home to the 11th Composite Aviation Regiment, which operates the Sukhoi Su-24. Furthermore, some Sukhoi Su-34 aircraft had been moved from Morozovsk Air Base after drone attacks had damaged it. 

 

An airspace ban was enforced, causing the nearby Volgograd International Airport (VOG) to suspend all flights. A total of 11 flights were delayed. Operations resumed later in the day as the situation stabilized. 

This incident at Marinovka was part of a larger coordinated effort by Ukraine, as several regions in western Russia were targeted. The Russian Ministry of Defense reported the downing of 28 drones across multiple regions, including Rostov, Belgorod, Voronezh, Bryansk, and Kursk.  

A day prior, another attack attributed to Ukraine saw Moscow experienced one of the largest drone attacks in recent history, according to the city’s mayor, Sergei Sobyanin.  

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