Russian Forces Strike Ukrainian Military Infrastructure in Kharkov Region, Russian Defense Ministry Says

The Russian Defense Ministry has reported a series of strikes using Geran unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) against what it described as Ukrainian military targets in the Kharkov Region and beyond. The strikes, which were documented in footage released by the ministry, targeted depots, railway infrastructure, and a radar system.

According to a statement carried by TASS, Russian forces used Geran UAVs to strike Ukrainian depots storing UAVs, their components, and radio-electronic warfare equipment. The strikes occurred near the settlements of Savintsy, Zidki, Barvenkovo, and Volokhov Yar in the Kharkov Region, the ministry said, releasing a video showing the attacks.

The ministry added that Russian forces regularly strike UAV command posts, depots, and logistics centers used to transport and store military equipment, including drones and their components. Objective monitoring systems confirmed successful strikes on targets in real time, the ministry stated.

In a separate incident reported earlier, Russian forces hit an electric substation and a railway locomotive carrying cargo for the Ukrainian army near Lozovaya in the Kharkov Region, using Geran long-range UAVs. The Defense Ministry released video footage of the strikes, showing a 110-kV substation and a railway locomotive being hit. The ministry also released live-recording images of a Geran UAV hitting Ukrainian army infrastructure near the settlement of Pogrebki in the Sumy Region.

Another report detailed the destruction of a railway locomotive in Lozovaya by a Geran attack UAV. The ministry released footage confirming the strike, with a statement saying, "On Thursday, a Geran attack UAV targeted and destroyed a railway locomotive in Lozovaya. The destruction of the target has been successfully documented."

In the Dnepropetrovsk Region, Russian forces hit a Pelican radar system near Kalinovka using a Geran drone. The ministry released footage of the strike, saying, "The footage of radar control of the Geran-4 Seeker unmanned aerial vehicle's strike against a Pelican radar system of the Ukrainian army near the settlement of Kalinovka in the Dnepropetrovsk Region. The target was hit."

These reports are based on information provided by the Russian Defense Ministry, which has not been independently verified.

Coverage Comparison

All reports of these incidents come from TASS, the Russian state news agency, which cited the Russian Defense Ministry as its source. The reports share a consistent framing, emphasizing the effectiveness of the Geran UAVs and the ministry's success in hitting targets behind enemy lines.

The strikes were described in neutral, informative language, with no loaded terms used to characterize the attacks or the targets. The reports attributed the strikes to Ukrainian military activities, suggesting that the targets were legitimate military objectives.

The coverage did not include any perspective from Ukrainian authorities or independent verification of the claims. The footage released by the ministry was presented as confirmation of the strikes.

Key Claims

  • Russian forces used Geran UAVs to strike Ukrainian depots storing UAVs, components, and radio-electronic warfare equipment in the Kharkov Region, near the settlements of Savintsy, Zidki, Barvenkovo, and Volokhov Yar.
  • The Russian Defense Ministry released footage of the attacks on Ukrainian depots.
  • A Geran attack UAV destroyed a railway locomotive in Lozovaya, Kharkov Region.
  • Russian forces hit an electric substation and a railway locomotive near Lozovaya using Geran long-range UAVs.
  • A Pelican radar system was hit with a Geran drone near Kalinovka in the Dnepropetrovsk Region.