Russia's Attack: Ukraine's Airport Bombing

Several airports in Ukraine have been bombed since the start of the war with Russia. The Battle of Antonov Airport, also known as the Battle of Hostomel, was one of the first significant attacks on an airport in Ukraine during the war. Other airports in Ukraine that have been bombed include Kyiv Boryspil, Nikolaev, Kramatorsk, Kherson, and Kharkiv military airport. In addition, Ukraine has also struck Russian airfields, including the Engels airbase, which houses nuclear-capable bombers.

Russian and Ukrainian airports have been under attack since 2022

One of the earliest instances of airport-related conflict was the Second Battle of Donetsk Airport in 2014, which saw heavy fighting between Ukrainian and Russian-backed Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) forces. Despite a ceasefire agreement, the battle erupted due to the airport's strategic location between separatist and Ukrainian lines of control. DPR forces utilised residential buildings to direct artillery fire at the airport, with Ukrainian forces returning fire from the airport, resulting in civilian casualties. The battle culminated in DPR forces overrunning Ukrainian positions and causing Ukrainian troops to either retreat or be captured.

In February 2022, the Battle of Antonov Airport took place, with Russian helicopters approaching from the Dnieper River and engaging Ukrainian forces. Despite initial losses, Russian paratroopers secured the airport, capturing the Ukrainian group at the northern ZU-23 anti-aircraft gun. The airport served as a forward operating base for Russian troops and equipment, with Ukrainian forces engaging them in the surrounding areas. Ukrainian forces bombarded the airport with artillery and claimed to have inflicted casualties and destroyed Russian equipment.

Ukrainian forces have also targeted Russian airfields, notably the Engels air base, with attacks dating back to December 2022. In March 2025, Ukraine conducted a drone strike on the Engels-2 airfield, triggering a massive explosion and a giant mushroom cloud. The base is home to Russia's nuclear-capable strategic bombers, and the attack resulted in a local state of emergency. Ukraine has also targeted Moscow with large-scale drone attacks, striking an oil refinery and railway tracks near the Domodedovo airport.

Russian forces have also bombed multiple airports in Ukraine, including Kyiv Boryspil, Nikolaev, Kramatorsk, and Kherson. The Kharkiv military airport was reported to be burning, and the Antonov Airport in Hostomel fell under Russian control, serving as a base for their troops and equipment. These attacks have caused significant damage to airport infrastructure and disrupted air travel in the region.

The Second Battle of Donetsk Airport was between Ukrainian and Russian military forces

The Second Battle of Donetsk Airport was an engagement between the Ukrainian military and Russian military forces and their proxy forces of the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) during the War in Donbas. The battle began on 28 September 2014, despite a ceasefire agreement, the Minsk Protocol, being in place since 5 September 2014. At the start of the battle, Donetsk International Airport lay between the separatist and Ukrainian lines of control and was the last part of Donetsk city held by Ukrainian government forces.

Sporadic skirmishes between DPR and Ukrainian forces continued at the airport following the signing of the Minsk Protocol, with minor incidents becoming more frequent in late September. Shelling and machine gun fire in the vicinity of the airport were reported on 23 September. According to a DPR intelligence officer, the Ukrainian forces at the airport were "very well armed" and possessed T-64 tanks and multiple rocket launchers. The airport's location provided a convenient vantage point for Ukrainian forces to target DPR positions in Donetsk with artillery fire.

On 28 September 2014, fighting broke out between the Ukrainian military and DPR forces. Heavy fighting over the airport continued into the new year, with some of the worst battles taking place in January 2015. DPR forces, supported by tanks, advanced into the airport, seizing several hangars, a fuel storage area, and outbuildings, which they used as artillery emplacements to bombard Ukrainian positions. On 3 October, amidst heavy artillery fire, DPR forces broke into the airport's old terminal building using smoke bombs for cover.

Ukrainian forces maintained control of the new terminal building and the strategic air traffic control tower, which they used to observe insurgent ground movements. However, the nearby village of Pisky, which was under Ukrainian control, had become completely destroyed. Over time, Ukrainian forces at the airport faced heavy shelling by DPR forces, and on 5 December, they were forced to retreat from the old terminal building, which had become the main battleground. On 21 January 2015, DPR forces overran the remaining Ukrainian positions at the airport, killing, capturing, or forcing the retreat of the Ukrainian defenders.

Ukrainian drone attacks have targeted Russian military airports

Ukrainian drone attacks have increasingly targeted Russian military airports and infrastructure critical to Moscow's war effort. In March 2025, Ukraine conducted its biggest-ever drone attack on Moscow and the surrounding region, killing at least three people and injuring 17-18 others. The attack also caused a short shutdown at the Russian capital's four airports and damaged railway tracks near the Domodedovo airport. Ukrainian officials claimed that the attack was a signal to Vladimir Putin to accept an aerial and naval ceasefire.

Earlier in the same month, Ukraine struck a major Russian strategic bomber airfield in Engels with drones, triggering a huge blast and fire about 700 km from the front lines of the war. The Engels air base, which dates back to Soviet times, hosts Russia's Tupolev Tu-160 nuclear-capable heavy strategic bombers, known as White Swans. Ukrainian drone attacks on the Engels air base date back to December 2022 when a drone strike on an oil depot caused a massive fire that took five days to extinguish.

In addition to the attacks on the Engels air base and Moscow airports, Ukraine has also targeted weapons storage units, oil processing facilities, and enemy airstrips near the Arctic Circle. The Ukrainian military claimed to have targeted Moscow's oil refinery, which provides more than a third of the fuel consumed in the capital region, along with an oil production station in the Orel region. These attacks showcase the devastating power of relatively cheap drones, which have been used by both Ukraine and Russia to target cities, troops, oil refineries, and airfields.

While Ukraine has focused on utilizing its fast-growing drone industry and domestically-made artillery systems, Russia has also employed drones in the conflict. Russian officials claimed to have shot down 132-240 Ukrainian drones over Russian regions, with debris found in residential areas. Putin has condemned Ukrainian attacks on civilian infrastructure as "terrorism" and vowed a response.

The Donbas region has been a focus of airport attacks

The Battle of Antonov Airport, also known as Hostomel Airport, was another significant clash in the Donbas region. Russian helicopters attacked the airport with rockets, destroying some Ukrainian air defences. Despite initial losses, Ukrainian defenders, including armed civilians, continued to engage Russian forces and bombard the airport with heavy artillery. The airport served as a forward operating base for Russian troops and equipment.

In March 2025, Ukraine struck a major Russian strategic bomber airfield in Engels, triggering a large blast and fire. This attack was part of a larger drone offensive targeting Moscow and other regions in Russia, causing temporary suspensions at four international airports. Ukraine has previously targeted the Engels air base, including an attack on an oil depot in January 2022.

Additionally, multiple airports in Ukraine have been subjected to bombing by Russian forces, including Kyiv Boryspil, Nikolaev, Kramatorsk, and Kherson. Kharkiv's military airport was reported to be burning amid the attacks. These bombings occurred as Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a military operation in Ukraine to defend separatists in the Donbas region.

Civilians have been killed and injured in airport attacks

Civilians have been killed and injured in attacks on airports during the Russia-Ukraine conflict. In the Battle of Antonov Airport, for instance, Russian forces captured the group of Ukrainian soldiers at the northern ZU-23 anti-aircraft gun. Although none of the Ukrainian National Guard defenders were killed during the initial clash, casualties on both sides may have numbered in the hundreds as the conflict progressed.

In the Second Battle of Donetsk Airport, a school and bus stop in the Kyivskiy district of Donetsk city, which neighbours the airport, were struck by shells. Ten civilians were killed, although no schoolchildren were harmed. According to Joanne Mariner of Amnesty International, it was "impossible to tell" which side was responsible for the incident.

In March 2025, Ukraine struck a major Russian strategic bomber airfield, triggering a huge blast and fire about 700 km from the front lines of the war. Local officials reported that ten people were injured in the attack, and some residents found parts of Ukrainian drones in their gardens.

In the same month, Ukraine targeted Moscow with its largest long-range drone bombardment of the war, with the Russian Ministry of Defense claiming to have shot down at least 91 drones in the region around Moscow and over 240 drones directed at other targets. At least three people were killed, and 18 others were injured in the broader Moscow region. Four international airports in Moscow temporarily suspended operations.

In addition to the direct impact on civilians, the attacks on airports have also had broader implications for the conflict. For example, in the Battle of Antonov Airport, the airport served as a forward operating base, housing equipment and troops for Russian forces. Similarly, Donetsk Airport provided a "convenient vantage point" for Ukrainian forces, allowing them to target DPR positions in Donetsk with artillery fire.

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