ARKHANGELSK REGION / KYIV – August 24, 2026 – Ukrainian long-range drones reached Russia’s Arkhangelsk region on Sunday, targeting the area around the Plesetsk Cosmodrome, according to monitoring channels and local reports.
Plesetsk is Russia’s primary operational military spaceport, used for launching military satellites, testing intercontinental ballistic missiles including the Sarmat, and supporting the development of the Rassvet satellite network, Moscow’s planned alternative to Starlink.
This marks the first confirmed instance of Ukrainian drones reaching Arkhangelsk Oblast, roughly 1,900 kilometres from the Ukrainian border. Russian monitoring channels reported that at least two drones flew into the Plesetsk area. Local residents filmed the aircraft overhead, and some reported seeing smoke.
Arkhangelsk Governor Aleksandr Tsybulsky confirmed a drone alert, ordered residents to take shelter, and said mobile internet was restricted during the incident. Russian authorities claimed approximately 40 drones were intercepted over the region and stated there were no casualties or significant damage. Temporary flight restrictions were imposed at the airfield near the cosmodrome.
Ukrainian sources and open-source monitoring channels described the operation as a strike on the strategic facility. While Russian officials denied any impact on the cosmodrome itself, the reach of the drones underscores Ukraine’s expanding long-range capabilities.
The attack continues a pattern of Ukrainian strikes aimed at forcing Russia to defend critical infrastructure deep inside its territory, far beyond the front lines.
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