SSU Drones Struck Aircraft and UAV Hangars at Saki and Gvardeyskoye Airbases in Crimea

A drone strike by the Security Service of Ukraine on Saki and Gvardeyskoye air bases on July 3, 2026, damaged hangars used to store aircraft and Shahed and Gerbera kamikaze drones.

This was reported by The War Zone and the Telegram channel Dnipro Osint ⟨Garbuz⟩.

According to SSU information, seven hangars housing Su-30SM and Su-30 fighter jets, as well as Su-24 front-line bombers were targeted. The SSU reported that at least seven aircraft were destroyed or damaged.

The SSU has not released any photos or videos confirming the results of the attack. However, Vantor satellite images taken after the strike showed damage to the aircraft hangars.

At four of the hangars, the blast wave tore off massive protective gates, and several other structures sustained structural damage. Based on the available information, it is impossible to determine whether aircraft were inside or what specific damage they sustained.

Journalists from The War Zone note that the hangars generally retained their structural integrity, though the aircraft inside may have been damaged by fire or debris.

The Saki Air Base is the home base of the Russian Navy’s 43rd Separate Naval Assault Aviation Regiment, which operates primarily Su-30SM fighters.

The facility has been repeatedly targeted by Ukrainian strikes since the start of the full-scale war.

Additionally, satellite images have emerged of the Gvardeyskoye airfield in the temporarily occupied Crimea, where, according to the SSU, Russian strike drones were also stationed.

A comparison of images from June 15, 27, and July 2 shows damage to at least two hangars. One of them has a visible hole in the roof, consistent with a possible direct hit, while the other shows signs of damage to the rear wall.

In addition, numerous traces of fires, several craters, and damage that may indicate drone strikes were recorded on the airfield grounds. The images from June 15 also show a significant number of Shahed and Gerbera drones positioned near the hangars.

Earlier, Militarnyi reported that on June 23, 2026, operators from the 1st Separate Special Operations Forces Center struck three Russian Orion reconnaissance and strike drones in the temporarily occupied Crimea.