The recent attack on the Soltsky-2 airbase in Novgorod region of Russia confirms that some UAV strikes on Russian military targets are carried out from the territory of Russia, British intelligence says.

"On 19 August 2023, a Tu-22M3 BACKFIRE medium bomber of Russia's Long Range Aviation (LRA) was highly likely destroyed at Soltsky-2 Airbase in Novgorod Oblast, 650 km away from Ukraine’s border. The Russian Defence Ministry said that a copter-style uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV) was responsible for the attack," the Ministry of Defense of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland said on Twitter on Tuesday.

British intelligence said "if true, this adds weight to the assessment that some UAV attacks against Russian military targets are being launched from inside Russian territory. Copter UAVs are unlikely to have the range to reach Soltsky-2 from outside Russia."

Russia has frequently used BACKFIRE bombers to launch the notoriously inaccurate AS-4 KITCHEN heavy anti-ship missiles against Ukraine. Early in the war, they also carried out the intense bombardment of Mariupol using unguided bombs.

"This is at least the third successful attack on LRA airfields, again raising questions about Russia's ability to protect strategic locations deep inside the country," the intelligence agency said.